Wrapped in You (The Monroes 1)

Sophie nodded, grabbing her bag and coming to her feet. “I’ll see what all we have available to show him.”

“I looked through our current listings.” Tasha turned her attention back to her computer screen and started scrolling through. “Really, all I see is the old Marsh house on Campbell Avenue, but it needs a lot of work. I didn’t get the impression the doctor wanted a fixer-upper.”

Sophie knew of a place that wasn’t in need of any renovations. She’d spent the most amazing night of her life there.

“I’ll see what I can come up with,” Sophie replied. “I’ll be in my office.”

Closing herself off from the world was best right now. Sophie wasn’t sure she could handle dealing with people just yet. She was still trying to process how her entire life had changed after last night. She’d known there was a risk going to Zach. There was a risk in being rejected, there was a risk in getting intimate. No matter what she’d decided to do, her life would’ve changed.

And it had. Mercy, had her life ever changed. Now she knew for a fact just how perfect they were together, just how vulnerable he was and how much they needed each other. Still, he’d throw that past of his up again as a barrier if she let him . . . she didn’t intend to allow him that out. He could face what was happening while they were in that bed together, and there was no way he could deny how fierce and even more intense their relationship had become.

Sophie hung her purse on the hook beside her door and crossed the room to the window overlooking a small pond. The town had installed a fountain in the middle of it a few years ago, complete with a few ducks swimming around, and added picnic tables around the perimeter for the local businesses. She didn’t get much time to enjoy the area, but she loved the view and would often find it calming.

Not so much right now. She wasn’t calm. If she were being honest with herself, she was confused. Her wants were pulling her in all directions. No, her wants were all pointing in the same direction. It was her wants versus her common sense that were currently at odds.

A little row of yellow ducks followed their mommy in the pond. Sophie smiled at the picturesque sight. Working today was going to be quite challenging when her mind was still on the last twelve hours of her life and the man who occupied her every thought.

She’d not even left him a note. She’d been so worried about him sleeping, and getting out without waking him, she’d forgotten. Was he angry when he woke? Was he relieved he didn’t have to face her?

Sophie wrapped her arms around her waist. Did he have regrets? Please, please, please, she prayed he didn’t. As much as she wanted more—she wanted everything, actually—she couldn’t regret the most perfect night of her life and she truly hoped he felt the same.

She’d known Zach would be a tender lover, but she hadn’t realized just how emotionally broken he was. He’d done everything for her, cared for her and pleasured her. He’d had a controlling, dominating, sexy way about him, but at the same time she’d sensed his inner battle.

Turning her attention to her desk, Sophie decided she was useless today. After all that had happened, she needed to talk to Zach. She needed to keep the upper hand over her emotions and clear the air. The last thing they needed was a new level of awkwardness to settle between them. They had a long journey ahead with Chelsea’s project, and they couldn’t afford to be overrun by their past, or sex.

The door to the main office chimed, but Sophie knew Tasha would handle anyone who came in. On a sigh, she tried to wrap her mind around what she needed to do. Talking with Zach was first and foremost.

The door to her office opened and shut. Before Sophie turned, she knew who stood behind her and it wasn’t Tasha. The air in her office seemed to thicken, hum even. Sophie’s quickened heartbeat told her all she needed to know.

“You left without saying good-bye.”

Nerves had no place here. What was there to be nervous about at this point? Zach had literally seen her at her best, her worst, and now intimately. She had nothing left to hide.

Turning, she forced herself to remain calm. But seeing Zach after knowing just how quickly he could turn her entire world into something of a fantasy . . .

“You not only left,” he said, stalking his way across the room, his gaze locked onto hers. “You left me with a bundle of fur in my bed.”

Sophie couldn’t help but smile at the image of Zach waking up to a dog in his bed. Sensing he wasn’t too angry, she didn’t try to hide her laughter.

“I’m sorry.” She kept her arms crossed in a piddly attempt to control her giggles. “I was trying to help. You’d just fallen asleep and I heard the dogs, so I tried to think of something to calm them.”

He kept inching closer. As the gap between them grew shorter and shorter, Sophie’s words started coming out faster and faster.

“I remember when I was a little girl and we had a dog, I would sneak her to my room and she’d sleep better.” Now she had to look up at him, he stood so, so close. “My mom would scold me in the mornings, but it was worth it.”

Zach slid a hand along her cheek.

“I thought maybe if they were close to you . . .” His other hand settled on the other side of her face. “Wh-what are you doing?”

“What I would’ve done had you been in my bed when I woke up.” His lips hovered over hers, barely caressing her. “Just because we agreed on nothing more, doesn’t mean I won’t take advantage of touching you, kissing you when I want.”

He consumed her as he leaned into her, holding her face just at the right angle to deliver the most impressive morning kiss she’d ever received. That hard body leaning against hers, backing her up a step until her back hit the window.

Zach lifted his head, his heavy-lidded eyes zeroing in on her mouth. “Don’t leave my bed again.”

Sophie gripped the windowsill. “I’m not going to be in your bed again. We agreed we wouldn’t look beyond last night, so that was another reason I left. I was saving us both the awkward morning after.”

He brushed his lips over hers once more. “Does this feel awkward?”