I grin. I’m definitely hungry, hungry for her. “I am.” I reply, my eyes on her parted lips.
Her cheeks flush and I know she knows what I’m thinking. “Mrs. Daniels left something for dinner.” She tells me.
“Oh that.” I chuckle, releasing her. There are many things I would prefer to any dinner my housekeeper has prepared, but the night is long. I start towards the bedroom. “I’ll be out in a minute.” I tell Sophie.
While I’m taking off my clothes, a text comes into my phone. The short message from Carole, asking me if I’ve thought of her offer, totally ruins my good mood.
I should be working on making sure her threats come to nothing.
Immediately after dinner, I go to my study, ignoring Sophie and the hurt and disbelief on her face. I have too much at stake to be losing my head to any woman, even her.
I work till very late, but Sophie is still awake when I get to our room. She’s lying on top of the covers, her legs and thighs bare in a hip-length T-shirt. She sits up when I enter the room, her wide eyes, cloudy and unhappy, and even though I know she has a thousand reasons to feel that way, I really don’t want to deal with it right now.
“You left so early this morning.” She says tentatively, as soon as I sit on the bed. Her words are hesitant, but I can already hear the other accusations coming.
The thing about commitment, I think, is how much of explaining you have to do. “I always leave early.” I say wearily.
“You were gone all day.” She persists.
I am trying to be patient, but something in me snaps. I know I’m being unfair to her, that I have no one but myself to blame for using her innocence is a tool to tie her to me, but I can’t help myself. “Maybe in your imagination,” I start, hearing the cruelty in my voice, but doing nothing to temper it, “being married means spending every single moment together, but real life isn’t a fantasy, I have a business to run.”
She flinches, and the pain in her eyes stirs a flood of regret inside me. When she speaks again, her voice is halting and uncertain. “I was just...” She stops, looking like she’s searching for the right words, then she turns away from me.
I should apologize, but I’m tired, and the words don’t come. “I had a hard day Sophie, I was incredibly busy.” I get up and go into the bathroom, leaving her alone.
When I return, she’s lying on her stomach, and I wonder if she’s crying. I join her on the bed and stroke her back, feeling her tremble at my touch. I continue, raising her shirt and spreading her legs. Deep down, I know this is not enough, especially not for her, but at the moment, I have nothing else to offer.
I touch her with my tongue, tasting and teasing until she’s bucking uncontrollably and crying out my name almost incoherently.
I don’t intend for it to go farther than that, but when she starts to caress my chest, moving slowly down until she has me in her hands, then in her mouth, I feel as if I’m the one who has lost all control. I’m entirely under her power. Anything she asks me now, I wouldn’t be able to refuse. I would give her my life, my heart...
Damn.
I grab her and pull her off me, moving her until her hips are spread and poised over my swollen erection. I push her down, pressing myself into her exquisitely tight, warm heat.
I lose myself in her. My senses reduced to nothing but the sweat induced slickness of her skin, her soft fragrance, the heat of her body so tight around me. My hands move feverishly, squeezing full breasts, spanning her slender waist, as I guide her up and down my full length. I want to touch every inch of her all at once. I grab unto her hips, thrusting deeper into the very depths of her body, feeling her pulse around me as her body urges the most intense pleasure out of me. When she loses control, her cries send me over the edge. I grip her hips tightly, holding her in place as I thrust faster, finally exploding with a helpless groan.
She collapses unto my chest. Her soft body draped over mine. I forget everything but her warmth, her sweetness, and how easy it would be to let everything go, and allow myself to sink into her, body and soul, completely, forever.
I hold her against me, listening as her breathing slows and her skin cools, and then I also fall asleep.
~§~§~§~§~
I wake up later than usual. I’m lying on my side, with Sophie snuggled against my chest. It’s surprising how well I’ve slept, considering that I have so much to worry about.
Sophie protests sleepily when I pull away from her, but she doesn’t wake up.
I take a shower and start to get ready for work. I’m putting on my clothes when Sophie comes into the dressing room.
“Hey.” I turn at the sound of her voice and find her standing at the door, watching me with a wistful expression. “I wish you wouldn’t leave so early.” She says.
I want to tell her that there’s nothing I would prefer to a few carefree days with nothing to do but discover her body in every way. But I’m afraid that if I say the words out loud, I might make another impulsive decision. I turn away from her and walk toward the mirror, busying myself with knotting my tie. I’m on the verge of throwing everything away and taking her somewhere far away, where it’ll be just the two of us...
“I know you’re really busy...” her voice cuts into my thoughts, faltering, apologetic.
I leave what I’m doing and turn to her, if anyone should be apologizing, it should be me. “I’m sorry, Sophie.” I take a deep breath. “Yes, I’ve been busy. I’ve had to deal with certain issues at work, issues that were there even before I met you, but that’s no excuse.”
She moves towards me. “I understand,” She says earnestly, “really. I’m not complaining. I just wish we had a little more time for us.” Her eyes are wide and hopeful. I feel like a bastard.