Wine and Scenery (Citizen Soldier #7)

Chapter One

“So…did you say yes?”

Towel drying herself, Sophia Nardovino paused to stare at her cell phone which was set to speaker on the bathroom counter, questioning if she’d heard her mother correctly.

“Sophia? Are you there?”

“Yeah, Ma.” She sighed. “Nothing’s changed. I told Gino no for tenth time, and I’m still here drying off.”

Her mother’s tsk echoed through the phone. “You’re too hard on that boy. What’s so bad about marrying him? He comes from a good Italian family.”

Unlike her mother, that wasn’t one of Sophia’s requirements for a husband. Nor was being a slick womanizer. Besides, she didn’t want to get married just yet. She was focused on building her set design portfolio for her career.

“It’s the perfect match,” her mother continued. “His family is into real estate. Your family is in construction.”

“Doesn’t make him the right fit for me.” Using her towel, she wiped the mist off the mirror of the master bath in a condo that used to belong to her college friend’s brother.

Brandi told her Keiffer was now living in Harland County, Texas, near her, and insisted Sophia use the place while she was there building sets for her friend, Phoebe—a Broadway star who was opening her own theatre in the Poconos.

“Why doesn’t that make him right for you?”

She blinked at her mother’s question, and a snort rippled up her throat. “Well, for one, he’s an arrogant ladies man.” Something she’d never tolerate.

“So was your father before we started dating,” her mother pointed out. “You just need to give Gino a chance.”

Eww.

A shudder ricocheted down her spine. “I did, Ma. Last year. Remember? I went on a date with him, because you, Dad and Gino kept badgering me.”

“Once isn’t enough to get to know someone.” Her mother’s tone was borderline scolding.

Sophia snorted again. “Believe me, one date with Gino was too much.” Bile raced up her throat at the memory.

The instant she’d opened her apartment door, she knew it was a mistake. A big one—with a slick grin and unexpected attitude to match.

But that wasn’t the worst part.

“What was so wrong with the date?” her mother asked, as if Sophia hadn’t told her several times already.

“The fact I couldn’t breathe, for one thing.” She shuddered again. “He wore so much cologne, Mrs. Switzer’s cat across the hall sneezed three times.”

“That’s her fault for snooping.”

Sophia lived in a well-maintained building in Queens, with nice neighbors. “Ma, her door was shut.”

“Then she shouldn’t have left the poor thing out in the hallway.”

She shook her head. “The cat wasn’t in the hallway. She was inside Mrs. Switzer’s apartment…behind a closed door.”

“That’s still no reason not to go out with the guy again,” her mother insisted.

“Yes, it is,” she insisted right back. “He killed my taste buds. Everything I ate that night tasted like his cologne. Then there was the lovely stop at a club where he danced with at least three other women, while I sat and watched.” Granted, that was after she’d refused to dance with him again.

He’d lost that privilege after assuming it was okay to let his hands roam freely over her body.

There was only man she’d grant that privilege, but their fling was a long time ago. Ryder was probably married with several children by now.

She wondered briefly if she’d run into him while in the Poconos.

“Maybe he was trying to impress you with his moves, or something.” Now, her mother was reaching.

She laughed outright. “Trust me, Ma. You would be less than impressed with his moves that night.”

“What? Why?” Renata Nardovino’s tone rose an octave, never a good sign. “What did he do?”

Dammit. She shouldn’t have said anything.

“Nothing I couldn’t handle. If it had been a problem, I would’ve called the guys.”

Beyond overprotective, her three older brothers effectively scared away every single date Sophia had ever brought home while growing up. They most definitely would not have been pleased with Gino stealing a kiss at the end of their date, or the fact he’d grown extra hands, and used too much tongue.

Her reflection shook as revulsion shot down her spine. That had been nowhere close to the best kiss she’d ever received. A smile tugged her lips, and her gaze softened in the mirror as the memory of that incredible embrace washed over her.

It’d happen five years ago, right here in the Poconos, during the best New Year’s Eve of her life.

Sophia had spent a few days with Brandi and her family.

The fact her friend had four smokin’ hot older brothers was a plus, but it was a friend of one of the brothers who’d captured Sophia’s attention—and much more—that week.

Not only had Ryder been an incredible kisser, he’d had a way of making her body quiver with just a look.

A look. It was crazy. No one had done that before, or since.

Although, with her domineering brothers, she’d only had three lovers, none of which her family knew anything about.

Ryder had been her second, and by far, the best. The sexy National Guardsman had kind of ruined her for anyone else.

So far.

The last guy hadn’t measured up, although, in truth, she’d shared quite a bit of wine with Ryder that night, so perhaps that played a part in her exuberant reactions to the man.

Yeah, that was probably it.

“Sophia? Are you still there?” Her mother’s voice brought her back to the present.

“Yes, Ma, sorry. I was towel drying my hair.” Which she immediately started to do, so it wasn’t a complete fib.

“I asked if you ran to the Poconos to get away from my meddling?” Anxiety had crept into her mother’s tone.

“No,” she quickly replied. “And I didn’t run away. I’m here because Phoebe asked me to help with the first few productions at her new theatre, remember? You know I love working with Phoebe.”

“I know you do,” her mother said, sounding relieved. “And Mandy said she’d be happy to fill in for you at work.”

This was a discussion Sophia already had with her sister-in-law a few days ago.

The sweetheart was eager to pick up a hammer and stop answering phones for the family’s multi-million dollar construction company.

She always thought Mandy’s talents were wasted in their office, and this was the perfect way to prove it.

Plus, it helped elevate some of Sophia’s guilt for leaving on such short notice.

“I just hope I’m not the reason you left. That I didn’t push you away,” her mother continued.

She frowned at her reflection. “You could never do that, Ma. I love you, but I would appreciate it if you’d please stop trying to find me a husband.”

“Sophia…mio Dio…you’re twenty-nine already. I had two children by that age, and my family is my greatest joy.” Her mother’s tone turned wistful. “I just want that for you, too.”

Although she could do without the age reminder, Sophia knew her mother wanted what she thought was best for her. “I know, Ma. And I want a family, I do―but on my terms. If you stopped finding me dates, and my brothers stopped scaring away the ones I found, I might’ve been married by now.”

A sigh rustled through the phone. “All right, I’ll back off, but if you don’t have any viable prospects by the beginning of September, I’m stepping back in.”

Great. A three-month reprieve.

“Thanks, Ma.” Smiling, she ran a comb through her wet hair. “I should probably go and finish getting ready. I’m supposed to meet Phoebe in less than an hour.”

She should probably check in with her first, though.

“Okay, dear. I’ll call you tomorrow.”

Before she could reply, or groan, her mother hung up.

Hopefully, she wasn’t going to call every single day for the next three months.

Still, better than being in the Big Apple and under their microscope, she thought to herself as she put in her contacts.

It hadn’t been a total lie. Coming to the Poconos was job related, and although Sophia would do anything for her family, she also needed a break from them and their well-meaning interfering.

Other than her mother’s daily phone call, though, she was pretty much free during her stay.

A smile spread across her lips and an invisible weight lifted from her shoulders.

There was no one around to keep tabs on her here.

That brief visit, all those years ago, had instilled a sense of freedom she never forgot, another reason Sophia always longed to come back to the Poconos.

It was that feeling of autonomy she desired…

not the mind-boggling orgasms from a certain sexy Guardsman.

Nope.

Wrapping the towel around her taller-than-average frame, she noted it barely covered her nether bits. At five-feet-nine-inches, she was a giant compared to the females in her family. Heck, compared to some of the men, too.

With another grin on her lips, she opened the door and headed into the bedroom to get dressed. She was halfway to the closet where she’d unpacked her clothes last night, when a man walked into the bedroom.

Gasping, she stopped dead as her heart leapt into her throat.

“Oh…sorry,” he stammered, halting near the door, brows lifted in shock. “Ethan didn’t tell me someone was in here.”

Ethan was Phoebe’s husband. Sophia relaxed, not because the man knew Ethan, but because the initial shock had worn off and she recognized the intruder.

Ryder…

Damn. The years had been kind.

Still tall and lean, he seemed broader, with muscles that stretched his shirt to its limits.

Memories of licking a younger version of all that lay underneath flashed through her mind, sending a flutter of heat through her belly.

She took in the way his well-worn jeans creased in the best places.

And be still her heart…a tool belt hugged his trim hips.

The men she worked with wore them, but none ever made her want to strip them naked.

Good Lord, he was hot.