Chapter 26
All day long, Sophie kept thinking about the trial. She wished Dan would call her so she’d know what he’d decided about putting her on the stand, but her charged-up phone didn’t make a sound.
And the phone...every time she looked at it, she remembered the sweet idea Rhys had had of them sleeping together with the phone line open. Every time she looked at that phone, her heart melted.
She was finishing up her work that evening, putting the last of the dishes in the dishwasher and wiping down the counters, when Janet bustled into the kitchen from the main house.
“You have a visitor,” Janet said. “He’s waiting for you in the parlor.” She immediately started out the door again.
“Who is it?” Sophie said. “Can’t he come back here?”
Janet paused, holding the door open. Her face was tight; she usually looked serious and even stern, but Sophie swore this time Janet looked angry. “He can’t come back here.” She walked out into the hall, the door swinging shut behind her.
Sophie wiped her hands off and put the dishrag in the laundry basket then tossed her apron on top of it. Could it be Rhys? Maybe he’d gotten home early and wanted to surprise her. But then why would Janet be angry?
Sophie’s head spun the entire walk down the hall to the front parlor. Raymond stood by the door, watching her. His eyes tightened as she got closer. He didn’t say anything, though, just held the door for her to walk through. He left it open. She could imagine what that meant–he’d be listening. What for, she didn’t know.
In the room, the simplicity of the design belied the expensive, high quality materials. Everything was a shade of beige, but not a boring brown beige, more of a gold-tinged color—the walls, the rug, the couches and chairs. But all that paled when she saw the man standing by the ornate fireplace. “Stanford. What are you doing here?”
He walked toward her, his hands reaching for hers. “Sophie, baby, I had to see you. I didn’t like how we left things on the phone yesterday.”
“I told you I didn’t want to see you. And this is your response?” She took a step back, holding her hands behind her so he couldn’t take them.
He stopped short. “I see you haven’t forgiven me.”
“Is there some reason I should? Have you done anything like–like even apologize?” She felt warm, her stomach clenched into a tight ball.
“Baby, don’t be like that.” He reached for her again but she moved out of range.
“I’d like you to leave.” Her fingers trembled a little as she held her hand out toward the door. She fought the desire to hit him.
“I came all this way. Just hear me out.” He walked toward the couch. “Sit with me for a minute.”
“I asked you to leave.”
He sat down, leaning back and stretching his legs out in front of him. She couldn’t believe she’d ever found him attractive. Right now, he looked slick and slippery like he’d say whatever he thought she wanted to hear if that would help him manipulate her into what he wanted. His wavy brown hair and soulful dark eyes no longer turned her in knots. Now he looked too perfect, like he had spent half the morning preparing for a photo shoot.
“I want you to come back to Hartsfield.” Hartsfield—the pretentious name of his pretentious home. “I understand you’re not quite ready to rekindle our relationship, but I think it would be a good start if you came back to Hartsfield and resumed your position there.”
Her laugh sounded bitter even to her own ears. “You must be kidding. Even if we put aside the fact that I never want to see you again, much less work for you, much less live in your mansion, how about the fact that I got a promotion and a raise when I came here? And you think I should take a demotion and a pay cut so I can go work for you again? No way.”
He leaned forward, elbows on his knees. “Baby, it’s not the same without you. Everyone agrees.”
Now everything started to click into place. He didn’t want her back. He wanted her cooking skills. She had shaken things up while she’d been there. His head chef was good but kind of stuck in a rut. Sophie had made lots of suggestions, had fun trying new dishes. Now that she was gone, he’d had to go back to the same-old, same-old and he didn’t like it.
Poor baby.
“It’s time for you to leave,” she said.
“I’m not leaving until you agree to come back.”
“Then you’ll be sleeping in the parlor tonight. I need to get back to my kitchen.” She turned on her heel and started for the door.
“Don’t be like this, baby.” Stanford grabbed her arm before she’d gotten three steps, swinging her around to face him. He squeezed.
Chapter 27
Rhys stood in the hallway outside the open parlor door out of sight of Sophie and her guest. When he’d arrived home, he’d come in through the kitchen door, hoping to find Sophie. When she wasn’t there, he kept looking and finally heard her voice coming from the parlor.
It hadn’t taken long to realize who she was talking to, either. Her ex-boyfriend, the jackass who left her high and dry. Rhys felt torn between the desire to walk into the room and punch the guy and the totally irrational fear that Sophie would decide to go with him. She wouldn’t; he knew she wouldn’t. Even if he wasn’t sure, the things she was saying made it clear. Still, each time that man begged her to come back, Rhys’ stomach flipped.
Then Sophie cried out. Rhys burst into the room before he’d even had a chance to think.
Sophie’s ex gripped her arm while Sophie tried to get away from him. Rhys gave the ex a good shove, dislodging him, then stepped in front of Sophie.
“She asked you to leave,” Rhys said.
The man sneered. “This is private business.”
“Not when it comes to Sophie it’s not,” Rhys said.
“Do you know who I am? I can make your life hell if you don’t get out of my way right now.”
Rhys smiled and even without seeing it, he knew it wasn’t a pretty smile. He showed his teeth in a primal way, letting the man know he’d met his match. “Do you know who I am? I own this house. You’re leaving now.”
Sophie’s ex seemed to falter for a second. “You’re William Blackwell?”
“I am.”
Charm oozed out of him. “I meant no disrespect. I thought you were staff. I just want to talk to Sophie for a minute, if you could just...”
“You’re leaving,” Sophie said. “Get out.”
That was his girl.
From behind Rhys, Raymond said, “I have your coat, sir. The door is this way.”
Bless Raymond. He knew just what to say.
The man walked stiffly to the door, grabbed his coat out of Raymond’s hands and disappeared into the foyer. As soon as he was out of sight, Rhys pulled Sophie into his arms. “Are you okay?”
She squeezed him tight. “I’m okay. What are you even doing here? I didn’t expect you until tomorrow.”
“Surprise!” he said softly in her ear.
“I didn’t invite him here. He just showed up on his own.”
“I gathered that. I–I listened for a few minutes. Figured you’d want to handle it on your own. But when you cried out, I couldn’t help myself.”
“Thank you.” She kissed his cheek. “For thinking I could take care of it and for stepping in at the perfect moment.”
A kiss on the cheek wouldn’t do it. Rhys kissed her properly and would’ve kept on kissing her except someone cleared his throat loudly.
He’d forgotten about Raymond.
“So much for keeping it quiet,” Sophie said.
“You don’t really think we didn’t know,” Raymond said. “Janet and I were quite certain. But we haven’t said a thing. And won’t.” He glanced down the hall. “A maid is coming. If you wish to keep it quiet...”
Sophie stepped back from him, running her hands over her shirt as though their hug might’ve moved things out of place.
“You look beautiful,” he said softly. He held his hand toward the d
oor. Sophie preceded him down the hall toward the kitchen, passing one of the maids along the way.
Once they’d passed through the swinging door into Sophie’s domain, he had a harder time keeping his hands off her. Sophie moved into the center of the kitchen then looked around aimlessly.
“I’m done,” she said.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, I forgot that I finished cleaning up before I went to see Stanford.”
Rhys hugged her from behind. “Good, then you don’t have to lose any clothes tonight. At least not here in the kitchen.”
“Rhys!”
“Let’s go upstairs.”
“Raymond is right. We need to keep this quiet.”
“That isn’t exactly what Raymond said.”
“Still, I think it would be better if no one found out.”
His arms loosened. “Are you ashamed of me?”
She twisted in his arms until she faced him. “Ashamed of you? No! What would make you think that?”
“Then why can’t we let people know?”
She seemed to be choosing her words carefully. “Isn’t it true that your having a girlfriend could be something they’d bring up at your trial?”
He understood. She didn’t want to be called to the stand. He didn’t want that either. “You’re right. We’ll keep it quiet for now. But I want you in my bedroom in five minutes. Got it?”
“I’ll meet you there.” She pulled away from him and headed up the servant’s stairs.
He watched her go, enjoying the sway of her generous hips and imagining what she’d look like with no clothes at all.
He hurried back into the house, passing by Raymond. He paused. “Have my suitcases been taken up to my room?” The last thing he needed was for someone to deliver them when he had Sophie half-naked.
“Yes, sir,” Raymond said.
“Thank you.” He ignored the ‘sir,’ choosing instead to take the stairs two at a time while pulling at the knot of his tie at the same time.
Once in his room, he locked the adjoining doors to make sure no one walked in on them. He’d barely had time to toss his tie across the back of an armchair when someone knocked on the door.
He opened the door, hoping it was Sophie but prepared for it to be someone else.
Sophie hurried in, wearing a long winter coat. “You locked the side door. I would have come in that way.”
“Sorry. I was trying to make sure no one interrupted us.” He threw the lock on the door she’d just come through. “Why are you wearing a winter coat?”
“Because I don’t have a trench coat.”
She couldn’t mean what he thought she meant. “Take off the coat, Sophie.”
She unbuttoned it slowly, then peeled back one side by a mere couple of inches, revealing a length of pale white skin covered only by a lacy bra and panty set. Then she closed the coat again.
“Take it off.” He advanced on her. “I’ve never seen anything so sexy in my life.”
She took a step backward, holding the coat together with both hands. “Maybe I’ve gone too far.”
“Don’t back down now. You’re doing great.” He gripped the lapels of the coat, prying them open enough to get another glimpse of her smooth pale skin. “You’re killing me.”
“Well, then, I should stop. I certainly don’t want to kill you.” She pulled the coat together and managed to button one button before he covered her hands with his.
“Tease.” He squeezed her hands. “You’ll kill me more if you stop.”
“Kill you more? Is that even possible?”
“It is in this case.”
She unbuttoned the button ever-so-slowly. “Well, if your life is in danger...”
He sucked in his breath, waiting for her to open the coat. If she didn’t do it soon, he’d have to beg.
The top of the coat pulled apart first, revealing her smooth chest and the curve of her cleavage. Rhys stepped forward to take her into his arms, but Sophie moved away.
“Did you want to look or to touch?” she said.
“Both.”
“Can’t do both at the same time.” She held the rest of the coat closed, the rounded tops of her breasts teasing him.
“Open it.” If she didn’t do it soon, he’d do it for her. Then they could test her theory about not being able to look and touch at the same time.
She let the top of the coat open a few more inches, still holding it closed around her waist and hips. Now he could see more of the pink and white bra with its lacy design. The lace was nearly see-through and covered the top half of the bra. He swallowed. If he got closer, how much would he be able to see right through it?
Then without a word, she let the coat gap a little more, revealing the gentle curve of soft white skin underneath her breasts. He had an insane desire to lick her right there. The coat opened even more to show the soft indentation of her belly button.
Without realizing he’d done it, Rhys advanced toward her. Sophie stepped backward but let the coat fall open even more. Her belly curved delicately and when she finally let the coat open all the way down, he could see the lacy pink and white panties clinging to her generous hips. Her soft legs tapered down to small feet with perfect pink toenails.
She was beautiful. Every inch of her.
“More.” He could barely breathe.
Sophie slowly pulled the coat apart, her cheeks an adorable red. When the coat fell back enough so he could see her entire chest, he had to stop himself from taking her in his arms right then and there. Watching and not touching was such slow torture.
The coat slid over her shoulders and down her arms to fall at her feet. Then she stood there, blushing, every man’s dream girl. Rhys took the few steps to stand in front of her. “Take your hair down.” She always wore that soft little bun.
Sophie lifted her arms and pulled at some pins or something in her hair. A few seconds later, it fell down her back, all the way to below her shoulder blades.
He threaded his fingers through it, combing it out and pulling it over her shoulder to drift down one breast. “Why do you wear it up all the time? It’s beautiful.”
“Most of the time I’m cooking. People generally don’t like long brown hairs in their food.”
“I’ll give you that. It’ll just be for me, then.” He liked thinking he got to see something about her that no one else saw.
More than anything, he wanted to kiss her. But first, he had to have one last look. His fingers held onto a lock of her hair as he gazed at her, from her beautiful blue eyes to her perfect pink toenails and back. By the time he got back to her face, she was biting her lip.
“You’re so beautiful.” His voice sounded hoarse. He bridged the gap between them to kiss her.
They wrapped their arms around each other. For the first time, he touched skin...the softest skin he’d ever felt. He ran his hands up and down her back, then cupped the back of her neck with one hand and squeezed the other arm around her hips, holding her tight against him.
Sophie held him just as tightly. The little moans she made in her throat were enough to drive him crazy. Then she pushed against his chest. “We have a problem.”
Damn. Another problem?
“You have too many clothes on.”
He grinned. “That’s a problem I can solve.” He tore at his clothes, tossing each piece to the floor. “You have too many clothes on, too.”
“Oh, no.” She glanced down at herself. “This is plenty for now.”
Rhys growled low in his throat. “Fine. Just know that I’ll have to take them off for you.” Now that he thought about it, that sounded like a good plan.
He removed the last of his clothes and pulled her back into his arms, kissing her soundly.
Chapter 28
Sophie loved the way Rhys kissed her. He kissed her like their kiss was the most important thing in the world, like there wasn’t another thought in his head, like he cared, really really cared. She kissed him back with everything
she had, hoping he could feel half of what she felt.
He walked her backward, still kissing her, until the backs of her thighs hit the mattress. Then he kept her there, still standing, just kissing her and rubbing his hands up and down her back. His hands went lower on each stroke until they cupped her rear and squeezed gently.
No one had ever made her feel like this before. In the past, she’d always tried to hide her body, not just by turning off the lights but by keeping her partner’s hands away from her more fleshy bits. But Rhys made her feel beautiful, every part of her.
And he was beautiful, himself. His body showed hours of hard work at the gym, from his strong shoulders and arms to his well-muscled chest tapering down to a nice flat stomach. He wasn’t muscle-bound, just perfect. She touched his shoulders, tentatively at first then more confidently, rubbing his arms and chest as well.
Rhys’ hands moved up her back then paused. Suddenly, she felt her bra give way.
“Rhys!”
“I told you I’d take it off you.” He pulled the straps forward on her arms. “Let it go. I want to see you.”
Butterflies assaulted her stomach. Still, he was going to see her sometime. Might as well be now. She moved her arms so it was easier for Rhys to pull her bra off.
He dropped it onto the floor and sucked in his breath at the same time. “Why would you hide these?” He cupped her, his thumbs moving over her.
Sophie moaned. If she’d thought she’d get this kind of reception, she wouldn’t have hidden anything.
Rhys let his hands slip around her rib cage so he could pull her closer. This time, instead of kissing her lips, he pressed moist kisses down her throat and across her shoulder. Sophie held him tight, letting her fingers thread through his soft dark hair.
A few seconds later, she felt his fingers slide under the elastic of her underwear and push them lower. A thrill of emotion ran through her, some combination of fear and excitement. Then her panties hit the floor and she was naked.
“Bed,” Rhys said.
“Yes, it is.”
He growled. “Get in the bed.”
Laughing, Sophie crawled onto the bed. Suddenly, Rhys grabbed her hips.
Crazy About Curves: 10 Luscious Reads Page 89
