Chapter 14
Lincoln
Sophie and I had been seeing each other for a few weeks, but this night felt different.
Maybe it was because Lou was sleeping over at Walt’s.
I knew that I planned on ending the night with Sophie at my place.
Choosing a fancier restaurant than usual, it was a treat to see her all dolled up.
She looked radiant, and I couldn’t take my eyes off her.
The dim lights of the restaurant did nothing to dull her shine.
Her fitted blue dress was tight in the bodice before flaring out at her hips.
She had done something with her hair; it draped down her back and over her shoulders in large, bouncy curls.
Her green eyes popped against the darker liner and shadow she had on, and the peach lip gloss was a subtle finisher that highlighted her tempting mouth.
Conversation was lighthearted, swapping stories about work and family.
There was a heavy undercurrent, though, a sexual tension that was thrumming between us, increasing the longer we ignored it.
On her second glass of wine, Sophie had an adorable flush to her skin as we shared dessert.
The seasons had shifted, and the last vestiges of fall were disappearing as we dipped into winter.
The weather was colder, but not uncomfortable.
As we left the restaurant, I pulled my suit jacket off and draped it around her shoulders as we went for a walk around town.
We passed Hell or High Water, a speakeasy where a live band was playing and the dance floor was full.
Before she could protest, I pulled Sophie in.
We snagged a table long enough to drop off our belongings before hitting the dance floor.
Her small hand was hesitant in mine until I pulled her tightly against my body.
Her eyes widened as her body relaxed, letting me take the lead.
As we moved to the music, I enjoyed having her so close, and let my hands slide down her body to hold her closer against me, not wanting any space between us.
Sophie inhaled sharply, her fingers digging into my shoulder as I pressed a kiss to the crook of her neck.
She tilted her head to give me more access, and I couldn’t help the wicked smile that spread across my face.
The song ended and a faster-paced one came on. There was a brief look of disappointment on Sophie’s face when I broke the intimate embrace. Pink cheeks and glazed eyes met mine, and I couldn’t help but press a soft kiss to her upturned face.
“Do you want to get a drink, or do you want to get out of here?” I asked, trying to gauge where she was at. Before she could respond, an unfamiliar voice broke into the moment.
“Sophie, what are you doing?” A well-dressed man a few years older than me was standing just behind her, his eyes assessing us with obvious disdain.
Warning bells were going off in my brain, so when Sophie turned around to confront the man, I followed, keeping her small body tucked in front of mine.
“Max. I was having a lovely night until now. Are you following me?” Sophie asked, and my suspicions were confirmed.
So this is the ex-husband. He was classically handsome, I guess, but everything about him was soft.
He carried himself with the air of someone who’d never had to get their hands dirty, who just paid someone else to do the work.
The man had no idea what he’d had with Sophie, but that was his fault.
His loss was my gain. And I would not repeat his mistakes.
“Why would I follow my own wife?” he asked, looking offended, so I decided to help clue him in.
“Ex-wife. Or is Nat here too?” I asked, and his eyes narrowed.
“This is a private conversation. Can you please give us some space?” Max demanded. Sophie rolled her eyes at me, and I shrugged, glad to see she didn’t look too rattled.
“Max, I don’t have time for this. You should go back to whatever it is you were doing here.”
“What I’m doing is watching you embarrass yourself and, through association, me.
I’m sitting over there with a table of potential clients while you’re out here grinding up on some blue-collar thug.
How do you think that makes me look? Not to mention, I saw those pictures of your boyfriend with Eloise.
I don’t know how I feel about having someone like him around my daughter.
Perhaps I should talk to my lawyer, see if we shouldn’t be reviewing the custody arrangement.
” Max sneered, and my blood boiled, my fists clenching.
Before I could move, Sophie laughed—a hard, angry sound.
Trying not to look shocked, I kept my mouth closed as she confronted Maxie.
“Do it. I dare you. CPS already has a file on you and your wife. Brian is ready to submit the additional evidence we’ve documented and logged over the last few years.
Walt also made a statement on record. Would you like to continue this discussion via our lawyers…
? Oh, did I forget to mention the files we have on Nat and your mother as well?
Talk about poor taste in the company you keep…
Is that Barry Craft over there? Maybe I should tell him that your mother says hello.
I’ve heard they’re quite close…” I snorted at the implication, enjoying the red flush that filled Max’s face.
“I don’t know what you’re insinuating, this isn’t about Mother. This is about—”
“No. I’m not doing this. Any concerns you have can be communicated to me through our lawyers. I don’t know what this is…” She gestured at his flustered form before continuing.
“But nothing has changed between us. I would never do anything to endanger Lou, and if you doubt that for a second, I’ll enjoy seeing this out in court for full custody.
Trust me, it would be worth the time and money to never have to see you or the toxic leeches you keep so close again.
” Sophie stalked away, her stride confident, and every part of my body hardened.
Stopping at our table, she grabbed my jacket and her purse before turning back to give Max a final withering look.
As I took a step to follow her, I felt a weak grasp on my arm. “She can act tough, but she’s just using you to get to me,” Max stated, looking as if he was on the verge of a full temper tantrum.
“Listen, Maxie. You fucked up. Sophie isn’t yours to harass or control anymore.
Sophie’s mine. Start getting used to it, because I’m not going anywhere.
” Before he could respond, I was striding past him, eager to catch up to Sophie.
She had just reached my parked car when I caught up to her, and she was fuming.
“Can you believe that? The fucking audacity! I’m so sorry he ruined—” Before she could finish that sentence, I was claiming her mouth, pushing her against the car as I tried to eliminate any space between us.
For a second, Sophie froze in surprise, then one hand was in my hair, the other on my shoulder as she stood on her tiptoes to get closer to me.
Her nails scraped over my scalp, and I had to take a breath, shoving my face into the crook of her neck.
I was two seconds away from lifting her up and taking her there in the parking lot, but I was trying to get some control.
“Get in the truck. My house is less than ten minutes away.” Breathing heavily, lips swollen, Sophie gave a wobbly nod before stepping back so I could open the passenger door and lift her in.
The drive to my house was a blur. The dark and the quiet in the car were heavy, expectant.
There was nothing to say. Talking was the last thing on my mind.
I was just praying I wouldn’t crash and would make it into the house without driving a hole through my pants.
My cock was rock-hard, begging to be acknowledged.
The ride wasn’t doing anything to cool me down.
Instead, I was enjoying every glimpse of Sophie I got.
As the moonlight flashed in and out of the window, I could see her shaking hands, how her nipples were pressing against the fabric of her dress as she restlessly shifted in her seat.
The car was barely parked when I hopped out.
Before I could get to her, she was already scrambling out of the truck and climbing the front steps.
I unlocked the door in a hurry, letting her walk in before me.
She slipped through the entryway, pausing at the end of the hall, suddenly looking unsure of herself.
As soon as the door was closed and locked behind me, I took a minute to appreciate Sophie, imprinting that version of her in my mind forever.
Without even realizing it, I was already walking over to her, lifting her until her legs were around my waist and her back was against the wall.
Before she could get a word out, I was covering her mouth with mine.
She melted against me, her legs tightening around my hips and her nails digging into my scalp.
My hands moved, slipping under the soft material of her dress until I was cupping her bare ass in my hands.
I groaned into her mouth when I realized there was only a thong keeping her heat from me.
I slid my finger over her lace-covered mound. She moaned and shivered my arms. As soon as she felt my hand, Sophie started grinding down her hips, moving uncontrollably.
“So needy for me,” I praised as I slipped one digit inside of her.
She was incredibly hot and wet, but still impossibly tight.
For a moment, clarity hit me, and I realized I had her pressed against the wall, barely a few feet inside my house.
Thoughts of moving to the bedroom or doing this properly tugged at me, but I was too lost in the sensory overload of having Sophie in my arms. Her breath hitched, and she ripped her mouth from mine.
Dropping her head back, hitting the wall, she let out a sound that was a cross between ecstasy and exasperation.
“I’m so close. Please, Linc. I need more.”