by Sara Orwig
“Maybe I’m just exercising caution and waiting for a deep, true love. This weekend was a brief idyll in my steady life.”
“You’re an artist and I doubt if there is any way you can describe your life as ‘steady.’”
“Let’s clean up and go ski.”
“I have someone who will come in and clean after we’re gone. We’ll spend our time on the slopes.”
She hurried to dress, thinking about their conversation and wondering if she could stick by her declarations. She had never expected to have this night of love and yet she had made the decision clearly and rationally and she had no regrets.
But she began to wonder: Was one of the consequences of her actions last night falling in love with Garrett?
She mulled over the question, unable to answer it. She didn’t feel the same toward him as she had before they’d made love for hours. And to her surprise, the night simply made her want to be with him more, not less. Could she stand by her resolutions, do what she knew she should do?
Could she avoid a heartbreak with Garrett? Or was she blindly ignoring the truth that she might be falling in love with him already?
Or, more likely, that she had fallen in love with him that first night she met him?
They skied and returned to his condo by five after eating burgers on the way back. Garrett made a call to his pilot. “He’ll be ready. I told him we can be there by six.”
“I can be ready in just a few minutes. After all, I didn’t bring much.”
“I’ll call him back and make it thirty minutes from now. Or maybe I won’t,” he said, his voice dropping. He tossed his phone on a table and crossed to take her into his arms, holding her tightly as he kissed her.
Their passionate kiss lengthened until clothes flew and they made love again with a desperate haste.
By seven, they were airborne. She looked below as twinkling lights disappeared and the night swallowed the plane.
“Garrett, it was a wonderful weekend,” she said.
He leaned close to kiss her briefly. When he straightened up, he met her gaze. “It was a wonderful weekend,” he repeated. “An unforgettable one, Sophia. I hope we have more unforgettable moments together. A lot more,” he said.
“I don’t think that will happen,” she said. “We’ve both avoided any lasting relationship so I don’t expect one to happen now.”
“The heart is unpredictable.”
“You sound like a romantic,” she said, amused.
“That’s the first time in my life I’ve ever been accused of being a romantic.”
“Maybe I see a different side to you.”
He smiled at her.
“When will you let me paint your portrait?”
“I’d love to have anything you paint, except a painting with myself as the subject. I can’t exactly see hanging it in my house.”
“Everyone should have a portrait painted. It’s for posterity. You’ll change your mind, and when you do, remember that I’d like to paint it. You have an interesting face.”
“Another first. I’ve never heard that before either. I think you’re seeing different things in me from what everyone else sees.”
“I see good things.”
“Sophia, listen. I want to be in your life for a long time.”
“I’m all for continuing to get to know each other, Garrett,” she said carefully.
He leaned close, placing his hands on both arms of her chair. “I hope you never change your mind,” he said, startling her with his sincerity, a look of deep sorrow on his face.
“What is it, Garrett?”
He sat back and smiled at her, looking himself again. “I just hope we can keep spending time together.”
While they talked, she thought about the past twenty-four hours and was still amazed at how her life had taken an unexpected turn since meeting Garrett.
It was after ten by the time they reached her house. “If you have a moment, come in and I’ll show you the studio.”
“Sure. Why put off until tomorrow what you can do today?” he teased.
They walked through a wide entry hall that had a twelve-foot-high ceiling. A circular staircase curved to the second floor. Double doors opened to a dining area on one side of the front hall while columns separated the hall from a formal living area.
He paused to look at Louis XVI furniture on the polished oak floor and an elegant marble fireplace. “I’m surprised. I expected you to have something rustic to match your paintings.” One of her landscapes hung above the mantel. “That’s a superb painting. No wonder you kept it.”
“Thank you. I enjoy it. Mountains and a stream—I’ve been there and I like to look at the painting and remember.”
She took his arm. “Come on. I’ll show you the kitchen and my studio.”
They entered a blue-and-white kitchen with ash woodwork and a casual dining area. “Now I can picture you in your house when I talk to you on the phone,” he said.
Switching on lights, she led him into another spacious room. “Here’s where I spend most of my time.”
He stood looking at her studio with easels, drawing boards, a wide paint-spattered table. Paintings hung on the walls and stood on the floor. Empty frames of various sizes leaned against a wall. Garrett prowled the room and then paused at the large windows overlooking her patio and pool area. Crystal-blue water filled a free-form-shaped pool that had two splashing fountains.
He turned to her. “I like to see where you work. Now do I get to see the bedrooms upstairs?”
She smiled at him. “No, you don’t. It’s getting late and we’ve had a long weekend.”
“So I’m not allowed to see your bedroom.”
“You don’t need to,” she said, smiling at him as she linked her arm in his.
“I’m having the grand tour tonight but I still want to take you to dinner tomorrow.”
“I look forward to it,” she said as they walked to her front door.
Before they reached it, he stopped to face her, placing his hands on her waist. “This weekend was incredibly special,” he said in a husky voice.
“It was for me,” she said, looking up into his gray eyes that mesmerized her as always. Desire filled them and her heart drummed loudly.
“You’re special, Sophia. I mean what I say. I never expected to feel the way I do toward you. From the first moment, knowing you hasn’t been at all what I expected. So quickly, you’ve become important to me,” he added with a solemn expression.
“So you had expectations about meeting me? That’s interesting.” In some ways, she wanted to cover her ears and stop hearing his words because she was falling in love with him and it scared her. But Garrett’s words wrapped around her heart. He, too, looked as if he were wrestling with something, so their attraction was taking an emotional toll on him, too. “You’ve become important to me, too, Garrett,” she whispered. She stepped close, going on tiptoe to kiss him.
Instantly his arms banded her waist and he leaned over her, kissing her hard.
As if unable to control her own actions, she twisted free his buttons swiftly, her fingers shaking, while she still kissed him.
He tossed off clothes and peeled away hers and in seconds, he lifted her while he kissed her.
“Protection, Garrett?”
“I have it,” he said. When he picked her up again, she locked her long legs around him as he lowered her on his thick rod to make love to her.
Crying out, she climaxed, going over an edge while colors exploded behind her closed eyelids.
He shuddered with his release. “Sophia, love,” he said in a gruff, husky voice. The endearment made her heart miss a beat.
She moved with him until they both began to catch their breath. He gave her light kisses and finally set her on her feet.
“Now I do need to be directed to a bathroom somewhere in this house.”
“There’s one in the guest bedroom at the back of the hall, across from my studio. Clean towels will be out.�
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He leaned down to kiss her again, then gathered his clothes. She picked up hers, pausing to watch him walk away. He was muscled and fit. He looked strong, masculine, sexy. Her gaze ran down his smooth back, over hard buttocks and then down his muscled legs. He was hard, solid and breathtaking.
She gathered her things and headed to her own bathroom off her studio.
In a short time she returned to the front hall to find him waiting by the door. When she reached him, he pulled her close to kiss her tenderly.
“I don’t suppose I’m going to be invited to stay the rest of the night.”
“As adorable as you are, no invitation is forthcoming.”
“Let me take you to breakfast again. I’ll want to see you in the morning.”
She laughed. “Garrett, that’s crazy. And I can’t go. I have appointments.”
“I want to be with you.”
“Again, Garrett, this has been a special weekend I’ll never forget.”
He kissed her again. When they moved apart, he opened the door and stepped outside. “Thanks for going with me.”
After he left, she locked up and went upstairs to her bedroom.
Had she just done the most foolish thing of her life by making love with him? She hoped not. There was no denying he was becoming more significant to her all the time. In her room she spun around just as she had outside the restaurant in the falling snow in Colorado. Exuberance, excitement, memories dazzled her. Shoving aside worries, she thought about their loving, remembering Garrett in moments of passion, his magnificent body, his tenderness, his heat and sexiness. His kisses held promises and temptation. It had been one of the most wonderful weekends in her life.
She sang as she hurried to shower, moving as if by rote while she replayed the weekend in her mind.
Was this love? Was she already wildly in love with him?
Five
A car was parked at the gate of Garrett’s estate. As his lights shone on it, the door opened and Edgar stepped out, patiently waiting.
Garrett’s heart dropped. He knew why Edgar was waiting for him.
He put the car in Park and stepped out to walk to Edgar. His mind raced. Had Edgar already told Sophia? Was he here at Sophia’s request or because of his own anger over Garrett’s duplicity?
The gatekeeper stood in the doorway of the gatehouse. “I tried to reach you on your cell,” he said.
“It’s all right,” Garrett said. “I know Mr. Hollingworth.” He turned to shake hands with Edgar, relieved slightly to see Edgar offer his hand.
“Sorry, Garrett,” Edgar said. “I know this is a late hour, but I want to talk to you in person. This isn’t something to deal with over the phone.”
“That’s fine. Come up to the house and we’ll talk. You can follow me in.”
“Thanks.”
Garrett returned to his car to drive through the gates. Edgar turned in behind him. At least he had been civil, which was a hopeful sign. More than he expected from Sophia when she discovered the truth about his connections.
At the house, he led Edgar into the library where a decanter of brandy and small crystal glasses sat on a mahogany table.
“Would you care for brandy?”
“Yes, thank you.”
Shedding his jacket, Garrett poured two brandies although he had no interest in drinking. He handed a glass to Edgar.
“You’re more than CEO of a Houston property management firm,” Edgar said. “You’re CFO of Delaney Enterprises in Dallas. I assume the property management business here is a sideline of yours.”
“It actually was started by my dad,” Garrett said. He looked at Edgar, waiting for the rest. When Edgar didn’t continue, Garrett asked, “Have you told Sophia yet?”
“No.”
“I’ll tell you what I’m doing here and why I haven’t told her about my connection,” Garrett said, proceeding to run through his history with the Delaneys and his purpose in meeting Sophia.
“I intended to get to know her so she would at least let someone talk to her about meeting with Will Delaney. So far, she won’t even talk to their lawyer, much less to any of them. Edgar, I don’t know what details she’s told you, but she stands to lose an enormous inheritance and cost the Delaney brothers theirs. They are as innocent in this as she is.”
“I know,” Edgar said, swirling his brandy in the snifter and then looking up to meet Garrett’s gaze. “She’s told me. That’s why I’m here. First, I don’t want her hurt.”
“I don’t want to hurt her either. I hate keeping this secret from her. I’ve come to care very much about Sophia. To be honest, I’ve thought about resigning, but I have deep obligations to the Delaney family.”
“Don’t resign. I want you to succeed. I want Sophia to get her inheritance. It’s absurd for her to toss aside that kind of money. I came to see you to learn what you intend and to make certain you’re not going to hurt her. I feel like a father to her.”
“I will try in every way I can to avoid hurting her.”
“Sophia is very cautious with men. Therefore, she’s rather naive. As far as the Delaneys go—I hope to heaven you succeed in making her listen.”
“They want to know her and want her in their family. But they didn’t even know she existed until the reading of Argus’s will.”
“Why am I not surprised. That man was arrogant.”
“There’s one grandchild, Caroline Delaney, who is five years old. This will hurt her, too,” he said, pulling out his phone and touching it. He crossed the room to show a photo to Edgar.
“Great heavens!” Edgar exclaimed, taking the phone to stare at the picture. “Except for the curly hair, she looks like Sophia. Actually, Sophia and this half brother bear a strong resemblance.”
“Yes, they do.”
“Does Sophia know about the child?”
“She has to because Caroline is in the will. There’s a trust for her. Caroline’s mother walked out when Caroline was a baby and the oldest brother, Adam, was her father. When he was killed in a plane crash, Will became Caroline’s guardian. Caroline has lost enough in this life.” Garrett put away the phone, retrieved his brandy and sat again.
Edgar sipped his brandy. “I’ll do what I can, but I can’t keep her from looking you up. I’m amazed she hasn’t already. She must like you and take you at your word.”
“I think she’s been reassured because Jason Trent knows me. She knows I have a business here and you had already met me. I’ve had her to my house and now we’ve spent a weekend together.”
“Believe me, that’s unlike her. She’s very cautious and I’m sure she’s already told you why.”
“Argus again and his treatment of her mother. I’m not Argus or even close, and not one drop of his blood runs in my veins.”
“True. I hope you can talk some sense into her for her own sake. It’s absurd for her to toss aside that fabulous inheritance. She doesn’t have the kind of money to be so blasé about it.”
“Thanks for letting me try to work this out. I just want her to talk to Will and to think about what she’s doing to them and herself.”
“If I can help in any manner, let me know.” Edgar took another long sip of brandy and set down his glass. “I’ll go now. I’m relieved to hear your purpose and I hope you succeed. I’ll stay out of this until I’m asked to do otherwise.”
He offered his hand and they shook again. “Thanks, Edgar. I appreciate it. I intend to tell her soon and I hope that doesn’t end her speaking to me.”
“I can’t help you much if it does. Sophia has a mind of her own and is quite independent. She grew up that way.”
At the front door, Garrett walked out on the porch. “Take care, Edgar. The gates will be open.”
“Good luck. I will try to get her to listen to reason. Sooner or later she will tell me when she learns the truth about you.”
As Garrett watched him drive away, his cell phone rang. It was Will Delaney.
“How did the weekend go?”
he asked.
“It was fine. But suppose you had called in the middle of a moment when I would not have wanted to talk to you?”
“You wouldn’t have answered your phone,” Will said with a laugh.
“I’m actually glad you called. I’ve been thinking about it, Will. I don’t want to accept any pay for this.”
“What the hell? Is there something in the water in Houston that makes people not want money? She won’t take her inheritance. Now you don’t want your pay.”
“Just accept that I am off the payroll on this. I’m doing the Delaneys a favor. It’s free, gratis,” he said, feeling a faint degree better that he wasn’t taking money for keeping his purpose from Sophia. But he still hated being secretive.
“I’m not going to argue with you. You’re a big boy now and if you don’t want money, okay. We can renegotiate your salary.”
“Don’t push me, Will,” Garrett said. He knew Will was teasing and being flip, but he didn’t feel like horsing around.
“Sorry, Garrett, if this has turned sour for you. Okay, no pay. We’re all grateful as hell, as usual. So it went well?”
“Yes, it went well. I’ll call you when I have something solid to report. Night, Will.”
He clicked off. His thoughts shifted to Edgar and then to Sophia. Tomorrow night he had to tell her the truth. Would the intimacy they had shared this weekend be a strong enough bond to keep her from despising him? He couldn’t answer his own question.
Sleep eluded him again. He mulled over the fact that she had been a virgin. He was the first man in her life, which shook him. She had strong feelings about intimacy and had avoided it all these years. He hadn’t expected that and now, not telling her his connection to the Delaneys seemed even worse.
Why had she changed her mind this weekend? How deep did feelings run between them? Were they deep enough to withstand the shock she was going to receive?
Could she forgive him? If she did agree to meet the Delaneys and give them a chance, would it mean that she was willing to give her relationship with him a chance? Garrett clenched his fists. He was anxious to tell her while at the same time, he dreaded the moment. The fact that she had let him make love to her made him feel a bond with her that he hadn’t experienced before. Thinking about making love last night, his thoughts shifted and memories flooded him until he had to get out of bed and do something physical because he couldn’t sleep. The prospect of flying home and resigning still tempted him, yet he couldn’t do that either. Obligations to the Delaneys, to Will, to memories of his father’s wishes were all too strong. Now the Delaney legacy made him sink even deeper into his obligations to them.
