The Married One

by Samantha Drake

  Sighing, she checked her phone again, hoping to find a message from Jonathan. She’d sent him the details hours ago, and a message telling him she’d arrived, but there wasn’t any reply from him.

  He was probably busy, and even if he wasn’t why would he want to waste a night with her and some girls he didn’t know. He didn’t owe her that. In her mind, the red buzzers of her inner voice had already convinced her that he had only agreed to come out of politeness.

  “Get it together,” she whispered to herself, before she took the first steps towards the entrance of the restaurant.

  Inside, her three friends were already there. She heard their laughter even before she made it across the room. She couldn’t make out what they were talking about, but by the way Sara was talking, it was obvious she was narrating yet another story from her long travels to Europe.

  Karen had been the first to notice her. The minute her eyes laid on her, she stood up and waved.

  Sophie sighed in relief, thanking God that they weren’t angry with her anymore, and waved back. She quickened her step, arms wide open.

  “If it isn’t our little bride!” Sierra said as she stood up, engulfing Sophie in a tight hug.

  “Our secret bride!” Karen added in the background.

  “How in the world did you keep Jonathan Hunter a secret?” Sophie had expected the interrogation to start sooner or later, it was just that she hadn’t expected it to start so soon.

  The girls were also far too excited. They looked at her with so much enthusiasm, their eyes glowing with questions. Amused, Sophie burst out in a fit of laughter, hugging all of them again, before sliding into one of the empty seats.

  “So! Tell us, how did it happen?”

  Sophie had learned something from Jonathan. She should stick to something credible and simple, something as close to what he’d said, only a bit downplayed so it would fit her life. Her friends knew she had never been to New York, so that particular story wouldn’t work for them. She wished she could tell them the truth, but she also knew that it was for the best. Even his own mother didn’t know about the nature of their relationship. Why would her friends know?

  “Well, we met a while ago. But because of his father’s death, we couldn’t exactly make it public.” Sophie felt her throat going dry, she hated lying, she was bad at it too.

  “How did you guys meet.” Karen would have been shouting if she had said it any louder.

  “At a bar. We just started talking, you know. I didn’t know who he was until a few days later,” she said, patting herself on the back for turning around the truth.

  “How about the wedding? Will you have an official ceremony too?” The question left Sophie speechless for a couple of seconds.

  She didn’t know why she’d been at a loss of words. The answer was obvious, they even had a date for their breakup. And yet, she couldn’t bring herself to say no. It might have been childish. It might have been her hormones or destiny. It might have been anything. But she was glad she didn’t answer, because if she had, the answer would have been completely different from the one that suddenly came from somewhere behind her.

  “Of course there’s gonna be a traditional wedding ceremony!” With wide eyes and parted lips, Sophie turned, her eyes settling on a familiar pair of eyes.

  Jonathan was as handsome as ever. He wore the same suit he’d worn that morning, only with a different tie, a blue one that fit his complexion to perfection. Slowly, she stood, her body still frozen under the influence of confusion.

  “Hey, sorry I’m late,” he whispered as he leaned in to plant a kiss on her cheek, his voice loud enough for the others to hear.

  Sophie couldn’t see, but she heard the girls swoon behind her, sounds of approval erupting from every corner of the table. Meanwhile, she tried not to lose her balance, her senses betraying her under the influence of Jonathan’s strong cologne.

  “It’s okay. Come, have a seat.” Sophie had never felt such feelings before. She had had boyfriends before, but she’d never felt so proud to have someone beside her. It wasn’t his status or looks that made her feel that way, God knew that Sophie didn’t care about such shallow things. It was something beyond that, something she couldn’t exactly pinpoint.

  While Sophie didn’t want to show everyone how surprised she was about Jonathan’s announcement, she couldn’t help but throw him a puzzled look. Unexpectedly, he’d chuckled at her reaction.

  “I’ll explain later,” he whispered in her ear, before he focused on answering the many questions that had been thrown his way.

  Chapter 5

  Jonathan tugged at his tie as he opened the door to his apartment. He groaned as he kicked off his shoes, relieved to be home for the day. He’d lost track of time, but he knew he was home earlier than usual. For the past week he’d barely been home. And even if he had been, he’d always arrived a little before midnight, with the knowledge that he’d have to do it all over again early in the morning.

  He had been working double the time, in the hope that the board members would see that he wasn’t using his marriage as a distraction. He’d also been reading lots and lots of articles and books, hoping he’d get some kind of idea to raise his stocks. Of course, there hadn’t been anything in there other than what he’d already considered.

  He’d arranged a few press meetings and business cocktail parties for the next month or so.

  Hopefully, they’d help promote his business. He also had a team of event planners in charge of his casinos. They had promised to organize something and attract more tourists. For the time being, that was all he could do. That and use his marriage as yet another means of advertisement.

  Shaking his head, Jonathan banished those thoughts and decided to focus on the music instead.

  He was still in the hallway but the sound of soft music was loud there. The familiar tune of the Nutcracker echoed in the room. Slowly, careful as to not make a sound, he peeked from behind the wall, the loose strands of his hair falling over his eyes.

  Sophie was in the middle of the living room, her pointe shoes on, her long bare legs moved on the rhythm of the song. Her hands were dancing on their own, waves of elegance above her head, moving slowly to envelop her body, like the wings of an angel right before it took off into the air. Her face was serene. She had her back to him, but he didn’t care. He didn’t need to see her face in order to know she looked beautiful.

  That was the first time he saw her dancing, and it was truly and utterly breathtaking. He simply felt as if he’d been caught under a spell. He didn’t know the story of the nutcracker that well, he’d never been one to indulge much in such stories, but he swore he heard the tragic story through Sophie’s well-defined moves.

  Swiftly, she rose a foot, her back arching as she twirled in place. There might have been more to follow, he knew that, probably the best part yet, if he was to judge by the musical notes that followed, but he wouldn’t know. She had already turned, her eyes meeting his, and she stopped.

  “Jonathan! You came early,” she breathed out, a hand over her chest. She was breathing unevenly and deep, her chest inflating with every gasp.

  “Yea. I kind of ran away, everyone left hours ago anyway.” He shrugged, trying to sound unfazed.

  “I didn’t eat yet. If you want, we can order something,” she said as she turned off the music, the room falling into deep silence.

  Jonathan should have probably said yes, but he didn’t, because he strangely felt like cooking. Like having a proper dinner night with the mesmerizing woman in front of him.

  “How about I go change and then we can cook something? I’m sure we have something that can be turned into a meal.”

  “Before we even start, you have to know–I suck at cooking. Give me a knife and a stove and I may destroy the whole city.” Jonathan chuckled while he shook his head.

  “Don’t worry. I got the cooking under control.” He was already going through his bedroom door as he spoke, ready to have a warm shower and s
ome fresh pajamas.

  While Jonathan took a bath, Sophie took her time to change into new clothes. She’d once again managed to look like a mess in front of Jonathan. Her loose shirt and shorts were all wrinkled and damp with sweat from how much she’d been practicing. Her hair had once been tied in a high ponytail but it now resembled a bird nest.

  She knew she didn’t have much time, so she rushed her way around the house, trying to get inside the red silk pajamas she’d bought the other day. She didn’t want Jonathan to come out of the bathroom while she refreshed her look, she didn’t want him to get the wrong idea, although, he would have mostly been right.

  This time, she decided to let her hair loose. Her long hair cascaded past her shoulders and down her back, her bangs staying in place for once. She wondered if a little lip balm would be too much, and eventually decided against it. As long as she didn’t look like a homeless person, she was fine.

  After finishing, she’d moved to wait in the living room. Or at least that was the plan. She didn’t exactly get to wait much, Jonathan had been out and ready faster than she’d expected. The Jonathan she saw while they were alone was so different from the one everyone knew. She saw the difference now clearer than ever.

  While he’d went inside as a serious businessman, he had exited the bathroom as a careless guy. His hair was no longer neatly styled with layers of wax, his eyes no longer stern and steady. He looked like the arrogant man she’d met back at the bar. The one with the witty retorts and high ego. While those traits had annoyed her at the beginning, she now came to enjoy them, as strange as that sounded.

  “Ready?” Sophie smiled and nodded, not trusting her voice with words. She needed to recover from the trail of thoughts that she’d just followed, from the confusion that blurred both her mind and body whenever it came to Jonathan.

  “Let’s see, what do we have here.” He spoke to himself as he opened the fridge, his body so broad and well built that it almost blocked the view of the nearly empty shelves.

  “We have some eggs and chicken breasts. And, I’m almost sure we have some potatoes somewhere around here.” He tapped a finger against his chin, his eyes searching his surroundings as he tried to recall something.

  “So breaded chicken and mash?” Sophie rose a brow, a shrug lifting her shoulders slightly.

  “Exactly!” Jonathan exclaimed holding the two potatoes he’d found victoriously.

  Sophie shook her head and laughed, reaching for the drawer where she’d seen the flour a few days before. Of course, it took her a while to find it, the drawers weren’t the neatest part of the house. With two busy adults who had no idea how to tidy things, the shelves and hidden parts of the house were bound to get messy.

  “Don’t pour the flour! You have to whisk the eggs first!” Jonathan exclaimed, grabbing her hand just as she was about to pour it. The action had been so sudden that a bit of flour erupted from the green bag.

  “No, you did not!” Sophie exclaimed through her teeth, her hands extending in front of herself so she could get a better view of the flour that now coated both her hair and arms. There were still some particles flowing in mid-air, the light of the lamp outlining them.

  “Oops?” Jonathan shrugged, a smirk tugging at his lips.

  “Oh, I’ll show you oops.” Sophie didn’t exactly register what she was about to do until she grabbed the flour bag and poured it over Jonathan, the sound of her laughs an echo that mixed with the surprised sounds that left his parted lips.

  Unlike her, he wasn’t only slightly spotted with the while powder, but rather bathing in it. His hair had turned white almost to the last strand, his lashes and brows fluttering with the same powder. His shoulders carried most of the weight, piles of flour gathering there.

  “This is war!” Jonathan’s voice had been low, but Sophie felt their danger. With a laugh still vibrating through her chest, she jolted through the room, missing Jonathan’s extended hands by millimeters.

  She looked over her shoulder as she skipped to the room, hoping she’ll be able to lock the door and escape Jonathan’s revenge, but the moment she did so, she slowed down, and Jonathan tackled her against the wall.

  “Gotcha!” He exhaled loudly, a playful fire burning in his eyes. Sophie had been laughing and smiling, and so had he, but the moment they found themselves so close, it had all disappeared. Their laughs turned into deep breaths, and their smiles and playful gazes deepened into something else completely.

  Sophie didn’t mean to, but she found herself brushing the flour from his hair, and then his lashes, finally settling on his shoulder. Her fingers worked swiftly, gently pressing onto the thin material of his shirt, feeling the layers of tense muscles and bone. Meanwhile, Jonathan watched her. His lips were parted, his eyes telling incomprehensible words.

  “I was going to tickle you until you apologized,” he finally whispered, his words heavy, his hands tighter around her waist. “But this is better.”

  She meant to ask what he meant, but she got the answer without uttering a word. His lips pressed to hers shortly, their breaths uniting into one. She froze, for the slightest of second, paralyzed by the sudden wave of electricity that surged through every cell of her body. His hands, however, brought her back to reality, they moved along her waist, and up her arms, settling in the crook of her neck. She felt alive, there and then. Without as much as a thought, as if she’d been drunk, she grabbed him and pulled him closer, so close, that she could feel his restless heart in his chest.

  She moved her lips in sync with his, her tongue eagerly welcoming his. She exhaled loudly as he bit her lower lip, his hands now hooking around her thighs, moving them so she’d wrap her legs around him.

  Sophie wasn’t sure what was happening to her body, it was reacting to him in weird ways, feeling things she’d never known existed. She may have been mistaken, but she felt them move, their mouths never once leaving one another.

  She wasn’t sure when, but she’d slid her hand in his shirt, her fingertips feeling the trail of his spine beneath them. Suddenly, she felt her back pressing against the familiar mattress. She watched between her lashes as he took off his shirt, his muscles flexing. She felt her stomach flip, a warmth radiating over her lower half, making her body tremble. In a hurry, she followed his lead, taking off her own shirt, her upper half now completely naked.

  Jonathan sucked in a breath, his eyes deepening, right before he lowered himself, his body now hovering over hers, their bare chests touching. This time, he didn’t kiss her, instead, his mouth landed on her neck, kissing its way down to her collar bone. There, he sucked and teased her soft skin, her back arching, closing whatever space had been between them.

  She moaned the second his hand cupped her breast, massaging it, her erect nipple pressing against his palm. She felt like she was going to burn, her skin so hot under his touch.

  While he teased her, she played with him too, her fingers trailed down his back, her nails digging into the skin leaving red trails wherever they’d touch. Eventually, they reached his pants, her thumbs hooking the material and tugging at it, but never taking it off. She felt a groan rumble through his chest and he eventually pushed himself off of her.

  “You up for teasing?” He arched a brow, his voice so low, so seductive, like the cry of a wolf beneath the silent moon.

  Sophie’s breath hitched, her legs weak under his touch. Without much of an effort, he pulled them apart, as he kneeled beside the bed, his upper body positioned between them. She would have looked, but the mere feeling of his touch was enough to drive her insane.

  He took her pants off with one move, her panties sliding along. She would have usually felt insecure, but with Jonathan, all those thoughts slipped away. His touch made her feel strong, beautiful even.

  His hand was now on her inner thigh, his middle finger tracing patterns on one, as his tongue licked the other. She was gasping so hard for air, all oxygen seemed to have disappeared.

  Unconsciously, she slid down a bit, as if t
rying to give him more access–urging him to get higher.

  Jonathan chuckled, but teased her no more. His finger now moved to touch her core, massaging the sweet and sensitive spots, sending sparks up her spine. She moaned at the feelings, her hips following the pattern of his movement.

  She felt as if she was going to explode, she needed to feel whole, to have him inside her. Slowly, she managed to pull his hand away, much to his surprise, but before he got to react she caught him by the shoulders, pulling him in such a manner that she was now hovering above him.

  He didn’t protest, although his eyes watched with curiosity. In a hurry, she pulled his pants down, gasping at the sight of him. She urged herself to recover, her eyes now lifting so they could look at him through her lashes.

  Slowly, while her hand gently rubbed up and down his length, she got on top, her knees straddling his hips. Jonathan was gasping for air, groaning, his hips thrusting inside her grasp.

  She liked the way he reacted to her, she loved knowing she made him as crazy as he made her.

  Without as much as a single thought she positioned herself above his manhood and gently lowered herself onto him. She closed her eyes as she felt his tip penetrate her core, her body adjusting to his size.

  Their hips moved in sync, their bodies now as one. The sound of pleasure filled the silence, as they succumbed to the unmistakable feeling of ecstasy and wholeness.

  *****

  Sophie smiled as she approached the table, with Jonathan by her side. The sun was bright, shining above the tables, the rays piercing through the fluffy white clouds that cast little shadows over them. Her dress slowly lifted with the breeze, the material brushing over her knees and calves, the green silk a dripping pool around her petite body. She wished, however, that she’d worn flats, her toes hurt way too much from the intense dancing she’d been doing recently.

  Although it was shiny and bright outside, her mind was cloudy, her feelings and thoughts a hurricane that threatened to flip her whole world. In her head, there were only thoughts regarding the night before, memories of what had happened constantly playing at the back of her mind. What worried her, was how it would affect her relationship with Jonathan. Although she dreaded it, she wished they would have talked about it when they woke up. Unfortunately, his dear mother had called asking them to lunch.