Chapter 34
THIRTY-FOUR
SOPHIE
Colson
Good morning, gorgeous. Did you sleep well?
Me
After our two-hour chat last night, I had a hard time relaxing, but I eventually got some sleep.
Colson
And here I thought our chat would relax you.
Me
You think the sound of your voice does that for me? Ha. You’re cute.
Colson
That’s all it takes? The sound of me?
Me
Well, that. Plus, the effect the rest of you has on me. My brain remembers, and those memories are vivid.
Colson
It took me a while to fall asleep too, if that makes you feel any better.
Tell me something, are you free Saturday night?
Me
I was just planning on hanging with Abbi. Why?
Colson
Would you let me take you out? I was thinking my nanny, Michelle, could watch both girls at my place. Ellie wants nothing more than to have Abbi stay the night. And before you ask, I thought for date one, we would spend the night apart. The same way we would if we had just met.
Me
I like that you think I wouldn’t sleep with you on the first night—and for the record, I wouldn’t.
Colson
So, is that a yes?
Me
Talk to me about Michelle. I know she’s watched Abbi before, but an overnight is an entirely different beast. How long has she worked for you?
Colson
Since Ellie was a baby. There isn’t a nanny on this planet who has been more thoroughly researched or more qualified than her. Believe me when I say this: I wouldn’t put my daughter in the hands of someone I didn’t have all the trust in.
Me
I just worry about my girl, Colson. I can’t help it.
Colson
As you should. You want to think about it?
Me
Please. I’ll text you later tonight.
Me
Okay, I’m good with it.
Colson
Was Michelle’s background check and résumé what sealed the deal?
Me
LOL. I mean, I appreciate you sending both, but I truly believe if you hired her, she has to be the best.
Colson
You have faith in me. I like that a lot.
I’ll call you after Ellie goes to bed.
Me
You’d better.
Irested my shoulder against the molding of the doorway and stared inside my closet, the phone pressed to my ear, waiting for my brother to pick up.
“Hi,” I said once he did.
“What’s going on, Soph?”
My cheeks puffed out as I filled them with air, my gaze moving to the different sections of the walk-in, scanning the built-ins, hoping an outfit would pop out at me. “I have a strange question for you.”
“Hit me with it.”
“When you go out on dates, what do the women usually wear?”
He laughed so hard, I swore he dropped the phone. “Why are you asking me that?”
My eyelids squeezed shut.
Even though Colson had shut me out and he wouldn’t discuss me with my brother, Hayden still had nothing but positive things to say about him. And I knew he’d be so happy to hear this news.
I rubbed the corner of my thumbnail between my front teeth. “I have a date.”
“Please, God, tell me it’s with Colson.”
“It is.”
“Finally! Tell me, how’d you turn things around so fast?”
“Fast?” I huffed. “Since I left Lauderdale, every minute has felt like a year.”
I explained the elaborate scheme that Troy had come up with to get me in Colson’s presence, along with a brief layout of the chat that took place at his house.
How the turn of events occurred after I unraveled in front of him.
That had been about a week ago, and we had talked or texted every day since.
“Shit, you’re good,” Hayden responded when I turned quiet.
“I wouldn’t say that. I’m far better at law. But if he was going to sign up for more, then he needed to know exactly who he was going to hold hands with. So, I peeled everything back and emotionally bared myself.”
“I’m proud of you.”
My gaze lowered to the floor. “Baby steps.”
“No, Soph, those were giant steps.”
I nodded even though he couldn’t see me. “Back to my original question. The ladies—do they go out in dresses? Pantsuits?”
“Pantsuits? This isn’t the fucking courtroom.”
I sighed. “Hayden, I own work clothes and lounge clothes. I don’t date, remember?”
I didn’t mention Lush clothes. That had a whole private area in my closet, and it was scandalous. And in that section was nothing I would wear to a restaurant, where I had the potential of seeing my peers and clients.
“I don’t date either … remember?”
My brother and the rest of our family were all bachelors. Of course, they had dated in the past. Throughout the years, there was a sprinkling of women who had come in and out of their lives. Some more than once. But never did any of them get engaged or married.
“You certainly date more than I do.”
“You mean I fuck more than you do. My present situation? I wouldn’t call that dating.”
“Please spare me those details. I know we tell each other everything, but there are some things we don’t have to delve into, and this is one.”
He laughed.
So, I continued, “For your meetups—or whatever you want to call them—what do the women wear?”
“They wear nothing. Clothes aren’t required.”
I left the doorway and dragged my fingers across a row of hanging silk shirts. “Hayden, you’re not helping at all.”
“Listen, there’s zero doubt in my mind that Colson will like whatever you wear. This isn’t the first time he’s seeing you, so there’s no need to make an initial impression. You’ve already made one. Just be you, Soph. That’s who he’s fallen for.”
My brother had a point.
And so far, Colson had seen plenty of sides of me—the casual looks, like I’d worn to his house, the Lush looks, the naked looks.
“How do you know he’s fallen?”
“Because I think I have a solid read on the dude. He’s not the type to climb into anything unless he’s really thought it through. Not after you shared your feelings on abandonment. I get that you’re in the beginning, but I think the two of you are much deeper than you think.”
“An interesting take.”
“I bet I’m right.”
I smiled as I lifted a dress off one of the racks.
I’d purchased it a few years ago, and I’d only worn it once to an event I attended as Hayden’s plus-one, the dress code requiring something light and humidity-appropriate.
The dress fit that description. It landed mid-thigh and hugged my body; the banded material was a lightweight, spandex-like fabric; and the color was a deep copper that went so well with my light hair.
“Where is he taking you?” he asked.
I walked over to the full-length mirror, holding the dress against me. “Where does a man who owns three restaurant brands take someone on a first date?”
“Fuck if I know.”
I laughed. “Same.”
“He hasn’t given you any clues?”
I turned, observing the dress from different angles, and even though it wasn’t on my body yet, I was satisfied with my reflection. “Not a single one.”
“You know … I like that.”
I did too. There was something so sexy about the element of surprise and the domination it took to make it happen.
“What are your plans for the night?” I asked.
“The guys and I are going out.”
I set the dress on one of the extended hooks in my closet and opened my jewelry drawer. “All of you?”
“Even Troy. He flew in for the weekend.”
“Oh, yes, I remember him telling me those plans.” I took out a pair of earrings and a bracelet that would pair well with the outfit. “Tell everyone I love and miss them.”
“Why don’t you come visit soon, and you can tell them yourself?” I could hear his smile, hoping I would agree to his request.
“I can’t go anywhere until I know my fate at the firm.”
“Still no word about that?”
My eyes closed, and my head tilted back. “I don’t expect to hear anything until Monday.”
“You’ll let me know?”
“Of course.”
“Have a good time tonight.” He laughed. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”
I rolled my eyes. “Love you. Bye.”
“Mommy!”
I stood in my kitchen, one hand holding the phone to my ear, the other clinging to the thin stem of a wineglass. I’d only poured a little bit of red, just enough to ease some of the edge off. I shouldn’t be nervous about this evening, but I was.
“Hi, baby. Are you having the best time at Ellie’s house?”
I had dropped Abbi off several hours ago, giving me enough time to come home, attempt to relax, and get ready.
Since she was only four years old and didn’t have a phone, I gave her my personal cell and called her from my work line.
Colson’s nanny was keeping an eye on Abbi’s phone and had texted me several times already to update me on the girls.
“The very best, Mommy! And guess what. Me and Ellie made unicorn frosting. It’s like every color of the rainbow, plus glitter, and everything is sparkly and pretty. And we ate some! On a cookie!”
I took a sip and said, “I’m glad you’re having so much fun, baby. How was dinner?”
“We made homemade pizza, and Michelle let me sprinkle the cheese.”
I could envision her big blue eyes widening as she told me this, the large grin on her face, how her perfect, chunky lips spread over her baby teeth—lips I would forever be jealous of.
“Remember, if you need me at any point, Michelle will help you call me on the phone. Okay?”
“I know, Mommy!”
I laughed. “I’m going to say good night now. I won’t see you again until I come pick you up in the morning.”
“Mommy, we’re making waffles, so don’t come too early, ’kay?”
I swished the wine around in the glass. “Waffles?”
“That’s what Mr. Weston said when he left. With chocolate chips and whipped cream and … something else, but I can’t remember.”
There was one thing in her statement that stood out more than the rest. “Mr. Weston has already left?”
“Yep! And he told us to be good girls, but I’m always a good girl.” She giggled.
I checked the time on the microwave, my pulse quickening as I anticipated the ding to go off at any second—the notification that Colson had arrived at my gate. Ironically, he only lived a few streets away. It wouldn’t take more than a few minutes for him to get here.
“How about you call me when you wake up, and we can decide together what time I should come get you?”
“Okay.”
I smiled. “I love you, baby.”
“I love you, Mommy.”
As I hung up, the ding came from the hallway, and since I didn’t have my personal phone, I rushed toward the tablet, the screen illuminated, and I pressed the button to lift the gate.
I then returned to the kitchen, downed the rest of my wine, and set the glass in the sink, slipping my bag over my arm as I made my way to the front entrance.
The bell rang as I was approaching the door.
“My God, Sophie,” Colson said as soon as I opened it. “You’re fucking”—his head shook—“unbelievably beautiful.”
By the way he looked at me, he didn’t just make me feel like the most gorgeous woman there ever was. He set off every sensation inside of me.
Fire.
Tingles.
An explosion that erupted in my chest and lowered.
There was something different about tonight. The uniqueness had nothing to do with the way he had edged his beard or the casual but delicious outfit he wore. It was the fact that he was standing in front of my house, here to take me out on a date.
That he wanted more.
His gaze made its way down, following the same path as the scorching energy swishing through my body, and he reached forward and cupped my waist, taking a step closer to me.
“I can’t believe you’re mine.”
Once that last word left his mouth, our eyes were locked.
A statement that churned within me. That brought even more pleasure, as if I wasn’t already ready to burst.
But I still said, “Yours, huh?”
That earned me a smile. “For tonight. After this evening, you may decide you want to take back everything you said to me last night.”
“An option, I suppose.”
Why did it feel like this was the first time he was touching me?
That his fingers, although familiar, felt unknown and unprecedented?
That if he tried to take off my dress right here in the entryway, I wouldn’t stop him?
He dipped his head near mine. “Sophie … I have to.”
With his stare on my lips, I knew he was talking about kissing me.
“And why do you have to?”
“Because I can’t go another second without tasting you.”
I was going to warn him about my lip gloss and the sticky mess it would leave on his mouth, but he didn’t give me a chance. I didn’t even have the opportunity to get out a single word before his lips were on mine.
This embrace was far different from all the times we’d kissed in the past. The previous had been foreplay. Breathy exhales and bodies aligned, hands that couldn’t stay still.
But not now.
This was need.
Hunger.
A satisfaction, like he was placing water in my mouth after days of being parched.
And when he pulled back, his hand lingered on my jaw, his thumb on my bottom lip. “I didn’t forget how good you tasted, but I really needed the reminder.”
It took a moment for the air to move through my lungs again. For me to come down from a high so overwhelming that I’d stopped breathing.
I wouldn’t mention to him that it was the best kiss I’d ever had.
But something told me he could see that on my face.
“Where are you taking me?” I finally asked.
He looked at his watch. A vintage Rolex that screamed appreciation for the brand, not someone trying to prove his wealth. “Sunset will be in an hour. Would you like to watch it?”
I nodded. “I would love to.”
“How about we watch it from the sky?”