“How’s the fit?” he asked.
“Huh? What?” Sophie asked then looked at the direction he was looking, “Oh the shoes? Wonderful. It’s like walking on air.”
“They look wonderful on you,” he told her, watching her feet.
“Mmm. Thanks,” Sophie grinned. They were walking down the street, keeping close to the building to avoid the wind. At the corner, Sophie came to an abrupt halt and Tony almost stepped on her in surprise. There was a hot dog stand on the other side of the corner manned by a tall Hispanic gentleman.
“Hey Paco. How’s tricks?” Sophie greeted him.
“Hey Soph. Been a minute. How you been?”
“Good. This is my friend Tony?” she said pointing at him.
“Your friend?” Tony murmured in her ear.
“Hey Tony, good to meet you. Paco is my name,” Paco said.
“Nice to meet you,” Tony replied, extending his hand to be shaken. His other hand reached out and closed around Sophie’s waist, just so there was no confusion as to their…friendship.
“The usual Sophie?” Paco asked turning to her.
“Two please, with everything,” Sophie said, handing over the cash. Tony leaned toward her and whispered in her ear, “I love when you take charge like that.”
Sophie turned to him and smiled, “Wait till you taste it. You’ll thank me.” Paco handed them two hot dogs made of boerwoerst with mustard, chilli and sauce on it. Tony examined the hot dog before cautiously biting into it. The expression on his face changed abruptly from cautious to beatific.
“Huh? Didn’t I tell you?” she asked grinning at his closed eyes. Tony didn’t answer, just took another bite.
“Come on let’s get two coffees to go with them,” she suggested, heading to the coffee cart across the street.
“This is quite possibly the best lunch I’ve ever had,” Tony admitted as they leaned against the pier eating their hotdogs and drinking coffee. They were sheltered from the wind by the canopy covering a warehouse nearby and they watched the boats on the water.
“I’m glad you liked it,” Sophie said licking her fingers of all the sauce and mustard.
“Wow, that’s so sexy when you do it,” Tony said watching her.
Sophie smirked, but did not comment. She finished off her coffee and then took her cup and his to throw it in the litter bin. Tony waited for her to get back watching her all the way.
“I have a question to ask you,” he said as she strolled back to him.
“Ask,” Sophie said, smiling at him as she leaned her hip against the pier.
“Would you prefer a summer wedding or winter? I favor winter myself, probably because I’m from Russia, but it could be because its winter now and that would mean we could get married right away.”
“I…really can’t take you seriously right now Tony. We’ve known each other one week.”
“So you have an objection to how long we’ve known each other and not the proposal itself?”
“I have an objection to believing all this is real.”
“Okay, would you do me a favor? Would you just wear this for me until it all begins to feel comfortable?” Tony said reaching a hand into his pocket and removing a small velvet-covered box. He opened it and Sophie stopped breathing. She closed her eyes tight, afraid to see what was there.
“Sophie?”
“Yes Tony?”
“Won’t you wear it for me please?”
Sophie stretched out her hand without opening her eyes and felt Tony slip a ring on her finger. She lowered her hand slowly without looking at it.
“Are you going to open your eyes or not?”
Sophie shook her head making Tony laugh. He leaned forward and planted a kiss on her, whispering against her lips, “You look really good with your eyes closed.”
“Long may your rose-colored glasses live,” Sophie replied making Tony chuckle. It felt ticklish with his lips next to hers.
“Is this real?” she asked.
“Yes please,” Tony replied making Sophie laugh as well. Finally, she opened her brown eyes and looked at him. Her eyes swept downward to her finger where she beheld a silver ring embedded with three emerald stones arranged like a clover leaf.
“What?” she whispered incredulously, “Damn.”
“Do you like it?” he asked her tentatively.
She was still staring down at it. Slowly she lifted her hand so the ring was at face level.
“It is very beautiful,” she said formally.
“Yes, but do you like it?”
“Nope. I love it,” Sophie said, looking Tony in the eye.
“So is that a yes?” he asked, smiling hopefully into her eyes.
“Don’t push it bro. Why don’t we wait and see if I’m allergic to it or not. Maybe you want some time to be sure too?”
“Okay, we’ll go with that story if you like. Meanwhile can we talk wedding planners?” Tony said with a shrug as they began to walk back to Sophie’s office.
“Wedding planners? Oh hell naw. I’m planning my own wedding, thank you,” Sophie said.
“Of course, whatever you say dear,” Tony said, biting back a smile. Sophie glared at him suspecting that he was laughing at her, but with no way to prove it.
“Going back to what you said to Paco about us being friends…” Tony trailed off.
“Yes?” Sophie prompted.
“Can we just officially change that term to Fiancée?” Tony asked hastening to add, “Just until you decide.”
“And after I decide?” Sophie asked laughing, “What do we call me then?”
“Wife?” Tony asked smiling.
“You are soo hilarious.” Sophie replied, picking up her pace as she noticed the time; her lunch hour was almost up. The bosses didn’t really approve of them taking the whole hour in the first place. Just because she was living in fantasy land right now didn’t mean everyone else was. She tried to imagine explaining to Rodham that she was late from lunch because her boyfriend of one week had proposed to her at the pier. She grimaced picturing the look on his face and picked up her pace.
‘Boyfriend?’ the voice in her head echoed, and shook its head incredulously.
Chapter 6
Tony was in the kitchen going over the week’s menu with the actual chef when Curtis arrived at the April Shower. He directed Charlie the maitr’d to take Curtis up to his office while he finished up in the kitchen. It was located on the second floor of the building and when Tony got there he found Curtis going through his files.
“Make yourself at home,” he offered.
“Thanks. Your files aren’t very well kept you know. Are you sure your accountant is competent?”
“He came highly recommended.”
“Oh? Who recommended him? Bernie Madoff?” Curtis asked with a smirk as he turned the page.
“My father,” Tony snapped coldly.
“Oops,” Curtis said grimacing.
“Yes well, so can you fix it?”
“Are dogs allergic to chocolate?”
“Alright if you need anything, just let me know.”
“Don’t worry, I will. Go about your day, don’t mind me,” Curtis said waving Tony away. Feeling dismissed from his own office, Tony hesitated slightly, then turned to the door. He turned back again and opened his mouth and then closed it again.
“Yeah, I saw Sophie this morning,” Curtis said from his perch behind Tony’s desk.
“I didn’t..” Tony began.
“Don’t front. You wanted to know,” Curtis said with a grin.
“Okay then. How is she?” Tony asked.
“Being discreet about that rock you gave her. Great move by the way, I knew you had it in you.”
“Thanks. I think.” Tony said wryly, “Well I’ll be on my way then. Worlds to conquer and all that.”
“Cheerio.” Curtis said smirking again.
Tony descended the stairs shaking his head in amusement. He rather liked Curtis, maybe because he was the one who f
ixed him up with Sophie. The thought of her brought a smile to his face and he fished out his phone and dialed her number.
“Hello, offices of the Wiz. Cowardly Lion speaking.”
“Hi. May I speak to Dorothy?”
“I’m sorry; she’s on a milk run. Can I take a message?”
“It’s her loss. I was going to invite her to visit me at my house tonight, but I figure I’ll just ask you instead.”
“Always nice being the first choice,” Sophie said wryly.
“But seriously, we’re engaged to be married and you don’t know where I live.”
“What happened to just wearing the ring until I decide?”
“Yes, that’s what I meant.”
Sophie’s soft laughter down the line made him shiver as if she’d ran her hand down his naked spine.
“So you’ll come tonight, maybe stay over?”
“Are you kidding me? My grandfather would have a fit.”
“What? You told him we were engaged right?”
“You mean-“
“Yes yes, I mean pre-engaged or whatever.”
“Ooh irritable already. Interesting to know.”
“Anyway, going back to the pertinent issue…”
“Come for dinner at my house and ask my grandfather if I can sleep over at your place. If he says yes, I’m all yours,” Sophie said.
“Coward,” Tony teased.
“Guilty as charged. So you’ll do it?” she replied placidly.
“Of course. I gotta go now. See you later.”
“Bye.”
Tony hung up and looked up at the sign in front of the shop he’d stopped in front of. Mikhail’s Emporium of Empirical Delights it read. Tony smiled every time he saw it. What did it even mean? He figured Uncle Mikhail had just translated it straight across from Russian, but even so, it didn’t make sense. The shop mainly sold Russian liquor – it had the best vodka to be found in America in Tony’s humble opinion; but that wasn’t all that was sold there. Mikhail Petrov also dealt with procurement – or at least that’s what he called it. He pushed open the door and went in. His Aunt Cara was behind the counter writing something in a ledger. She looked up when the bell rang with a smile on her face. It widened when she saw who it was.
“Anton! Long time no see,” she greeted, stretching out her hands to him. He grasped them in turn, bringing them to his lips to kiss them both.
“Aunt Cara. How delightful to see you again.”
“What can I do you for Tony?” she asked keeping hold of his hands.
“I need to find somebody,” he explained as she led him to the back where there was a seating area.
“Who do you need to find?” she asked seating him down and going to pour him a drink.
“A boy - or rather, he would be a young man now. His name is Solomon Devereux.”
*****
Sophie looked through her accounting notes trying to concentrate on the equations she needed for tomorrow’s test. She had gone through them many times and had been pretty sure she knew them back to front but now she could hardly focus on them.
“Tony. Effing. Romanov. Get out of my head,” she murmured to herself.
“I beg your pardon?” a stiff voice said from her doorway making her start. She looked up to see Mr. Rodham standing at her door.
“Mr. Rodham!” she said standing up quickly.
“Ms. Devereux, do you have a minute?”
“Of course,” Sophie said nervously. She gestured to the seat, waiting to see if he would take it before she sat down herself.
Mr. Rodham stepped into her office but didn’t take the seat so she remained standing too.
“I understand that we have a conflict of interest.”
“Oh? What conflict?”
“Mr. Romanov. He is a client of ours. I understand you have something of a…private relationship?”
“Yes. I wasn’t aware that was a problem.”
“It is when the relationship began in the course of conducting business. Not only is it extremely unprofessional but we are carrying a rather delicate operation for Mr. Romanov. He is also very influential in certain circles. What happens if this relationship goes badly while we are in the middle of conducting this investigation?” Mr. Rodham asked.
Sophie opened her mouth then closed it. There was exactly nothing she could say. She lifted her hand up to her face, looking at the ring thereon. Mr. Rodham’s eyes traveled to her hand and fixed on her finger. He stared at the ring for a long moment.
“I see. Well. In that case, I wish you the very best,” Mr. Rodham said bowing stiffly. He turned and walked out of her office, leaving Sophie completely speechless in his wake. She slumped back into her seat with a deep indrawn breath and then blew it out.
“Wow,” she gasped, before getting back to work.
She left early to do some shopping for dinner. Tony had texted that he would arrive at around 7pm so she didn’t have much time. She wanted to cook him jambalaya, just because it reminded her of home and she wanted him to experience a little bit of that. They had rice already in the pantry, but she needed some fresh chicken and some spices. Lucky it didn’t take long to make.
As she opened the door to her apartment later, hands laden with groceries she could hear her grandfather whistling as he bustled about. She had called him at work to see if he could cancel his weekly poker game for this dinner. He was surprisingly game to do so, making Sophie wonder at his motives. But since she wasn’t looking any gift horses in the mouth…
“G-Money!” she called as she hauled her loads to the kitchen.
“Yes I’m here. In the living room,” he called. Sophie unpacked her groceries and then went to kiss him hallo.
“So when is your man friend coming?”
“Seven pm. Are you going to help me cook this jambalaya or what?”
“Did you bring me beer?” Elijah asked getting up to follow her to the kitchen.
“Does a goat eat handkerchiefs?”
They were happily cooking when the doorbell rang. Sophie checked the clock; it read 6:49pm. He was early.
“I’ll get it,” Elijah offered and went to answer the door. Sophie could hear two deep voices in conversation, but not what they were saying. She looked down at her hands, which had begun to inexplicably shake. She was also feeling a little dizzy. This was getting a little ridiculous.
Tony and her grandfather walked into the kitchen, with Tony carrying a bottle of wine.
“Hi.” He said giving her the intense ice blue stare that turned her insides to mush.
“Hi,” she tried to say, but all that came out was a husky whisper. On meeting his eyes, her mind had gone back to the last time she’d seen him alone. He had come up to her room to ‘help her pack’ as he put it. Her clothes were everywhere, she couldn’t seem to get organized and the ferry would be leaving at eleven. Tony had taken them to all the touristy spots on the island and at night her grandfather had feigned tiredness so they didn’t feel guilty about ditching him after dinner. After saying goodnight to him Tony had led her up to the attic, telling her he had a surprise for her. The surprise had turned out to be an empty room with a wooden floor and a disco ball spinning around the ceiling refracting blue, yellow and red light all over the room. She had almost died laughing. They had slow danced for half the night to Jodeci, Luther Vandross and Louis Armstrong.
“I wouldn’t have pegged you for an R&B guy,” she’d whispered in his ear.
“Don’t you think that’s a bit racist to say?” he had asked making her howl like a loon with laughter.
It had been fun and exciting in ways she never could have imagined slow dancing in an empty attic could be. After all, who the hell slow danced these days? Certainly no-one she knew. The passion had built up slowly with the light brushes of skin on skin and his soft warm breath on her neck. She had arched it to give him more room to nuzzle. He rubbed his face against her, groaning softly now and then and rubbing his thick erect shaft against her with increasing
urgency. Suddenly it seemed the madness was upon them and he hustled her against the wall, pulling off the tights she was wearing with shaking fingers. His fingers trailed up her legs to her butt and he squeezed passionately kissing her urgently as he did so. Her mind had gone blank; she wanted to undo his flies, but couldn’t quite master the skill to do so. She went down on her knees and got both hands on his buttons, managing to undo them at last. She grabbed hold of his erect member softly kneading as he arched his body toward her. Taking the hint, she closed her mouth on it, sucking gently. Tony groaned out loud and shuddered, his whole body going rigid. She licked at him back and forth as he murmured incoherently into the wall above her. Suddenly he grabbed her shoulders and lifted her upright. He took hold of her thighs and lifted so that her legs were able to wrap around his waist. He rammed into her before she could think or move and her mind went white and blank with the shock of his immediacy.
“Holy God,” she whispered as he slammed her into the wall again and again.
“No. Just me,” Tony whispered back, laughter in his voice. She would have slapped the back of his head if she wasn’t too busy holding on for dear life.
His movements got more frantic as the color suffused his face and veins stood out in his forehead. He was murmuring her name like a prayer; the combination of that and the constant hammering below had her white hot and ready to blow like a gasket. It felt like her whole body would shatter into pieces... then it did! But that was not the end.
Hot waves of passion followed, making her shiver everywhere they touched. Her body went weak... limp... she felt like she might pass out. Sophie felt Tony’s body shake as he too came to climax and she smiled.
*****
That had been the first of several sessions that night and now she was expected to pull herself together and pack?
“Hey,” he had said as he walked into her room.
“Hey,” she had replied heart speeding up.
“Okay, so packing. I know you’re still worn out from last night, so why don’t you just sit there on the bed and I’ll pack for you?” he’d said. She had smiled as she jumped on the bed and leaned back against the headboard.
“I love you,” she’d said with contentment closing her eyes. Then she’d realized what she just said and her eyes opened wide. She looked at him and opened her mouth to clarify that she hadn’t meant that the way it sounded but then saw that he was nonchalantly folding her unmentionables into her bag and closed her mouth again. She also closed her eyes and decided to pretend it hadn’t happened.
The Billionaire's Big Beautiful Bride (BWWM Romance Book 1) Page 17
