“Good evening, everyone. My name is Sophia Holbrook, I’m the designer and costar of Impact Load. I’m a former resident of Trinity House. This is my father, Brian Merrick. We would love to tell you our story.”
Chapter Ten
Production is finally back after a two-week delay while Reality Life executives investigated the finances of the show. Carl has been removed as producer and show runner and Tamara Burton has been installed in his place. Sophia is pleased to be working with her friend, though I suspect she’ll be kept on a tighter leash when it comes to spending. On a personal note, it appears that Fynn and Sophia are still a bit awkward on site. They need to figure things out before we start filming again or it will impact the final product. Not to mention, they are good for each other.
—Impact Load Production Notes, Brian Merrick, Director
The rest of the shoot and renovation of Trinity House went smoothly after Tamara took over. It was fun to watch her step into the role of boss and take over as naturally as she did. I had no doubt that Reality Life wouldn’t let her go once they realized how good a job she could do. Which meant I’d have to take on more responsibility with our company. Not to mention the new interest that the fund-raiser had gotten us. My plate was going to be full for a long time.
I’d called my mom to tell her about Brian the day after the fund-raiser. While she wasn’t interested in seeing him again, she gave me her blessing if I wanted to make him a part of my life. I didn’t think I’d ever see him as my father, but I was hoping we could maintain a bit of a friendship after the show was completed.
I still couldn’t believe we only had a few weeks left to go. The three-month project had its ups and downs, but we were finally in the home stretch. The structure, electrical and plumbing was completed and we’d moved into the finishing stages. Soon we’d be planning the grand reopening of the shelter.
Standing in the room I’d shared with three other girls, I couldn’t help but be amazed at how much things had changed, at how much I’d changed. Faded pink walls had been redone and painted spring green with blue accents. These were some of my favorite colors, happy and hopeful.
The trim and baseboards were all new, fresh white. My chest tightened when I realized the gouges in the wood were gone, the past removed and ready for new people to make it their future. I ran my fingers across the windowsill where I’d carved a large S my first night here. One of Fynn’s guys had replaced it, leaving no traces of Sophia the child. I’d never be able to point to something and go, look I lived here.
The faint scene of decay was forever gone, replaced with the smell of sawdust. I stood and looked around again. Yes, the past was gone, but for the first time I knew that I didn’t need to be that scared little girl any longer. My vision of what Trinity House could be had come to fruition. My mark might not be on that sill, but it was everywhere else—the walls, the furniture, every nook and cranny. I smiled and the tension in my chest dissipated.
Some other young girls would find happiness here and I’d have been a part of that.
With my fingers against the freshly painted wall I sent up a silent prayer to whoever had kept an eye on me throughout my life. Someone had brought us here when we needed a new start, giving me a perspective on life that I wouldn’t have had otherwise.
“Everything to your liking?”
Why I still jumped whenever Fynn snuck up on me was mind boggling. He’d come into the room, his gaze roaming over the work and I could tell he was looking for any imperfections he’d be able to fix. No wonder the lawsuit against him never went anywhere. He was such a perfectionist who insisted on always doing the right thing that no one would ever be able to find fault in his work.
I moved away from the wall and joined him in the center of the room. “Of course it is. Your team did an amazing job.”
“Yeah, they do good work.” He reached up and cupped my cheek. “You’re not so bad either.”
It shouldn’t give me happy tingles to receive his praise, but it totally did. I turned my face and placed a kiss to the middle of his palm. “Thanks.”
“That reminds me. A bunch of the furniture you ordered is on the way. We just got the call from the delivery company. We’ll have to store some of it until we get the flooring done in the last few rooms, but you’ll be able to start—”
I threw my arms around his neck and silenced him with a kiss. I’d been holding myself back since the night of the fund-raiser, but I was tired of not going after the one thing I’d realized I truly wanted—Fynn.
If he was surprised by my unexpected smooch, he didn’t show it. His tongue slid along mine as he deepened the contact, his hands sliding up along my back as he enveloped me in his arms. I pressed myself fully against his body, wanting to feel every inch of him and wishing we were naked on my bed.
“We need to have sex in a normal place.” I finally managed when I pulled away.
“We had sex on your couch. That’s pretty normal.”
“A bed would be nice. With sheets. And pillows.”
Fynn chuckled before nipping at my chin. “But I can do so many more interesting things to you when we’re not in bed.”
“Oh?” I was so going to like the sound of this.
“Umm. See, I have things in my tool belt that might come in handy.” He reached into one of the pockets and took out a plastic zip tie. “I could use this for example, to make sure you couldn’t go anywhere. Or I could find some of the gaffing tape to secure you. Then I could do all sorts of wicked things to your body.”
“Oh, that. Please find a roll and bring it to my place.” I opened my legs and rubbed my denim covered pussy against his thigh. “God, I’m so fucking turned on right now I could come.”
Fynn took my hand and pressed it to the bulge pushing out the front of his jeans. “You’re not the only one.”
I wanted him, but not like this. I’d been thinking a lot about where this thing with Fynn was going, if anywhere. While I was more than happy to have a friend with benefits, I got the impression that wasn’t the type of thing a man like Fynn was interested in. The longer I spent with him and the closer we got, the more I came to the realization that taking this relationship to the next level was exactly the sort of thing I wanted. Pressing my hand a bit firmer to his groin, I moved my face against the side of his neck and sucked gently on the skin. “So you know I like you, right?”
Fynn’s growl was answer enough.
“I mean I really like you. I wasn’t looking for anything serious when we started up this thing. I have so much on my plate I didn’t think a relationship of any sort would be possible.”
He slid my hand from his cock, lifting it up to his chest. For a second I thought he might pull away, but instead he pressed my hand over his heart. “I didn’t think you were looking for anything serious either. It was one of the reasons I tried to hold back.”
“I figured you thought I was a flake and wanted to stay ten feet away from me at all times.”
Fynn tipped my face up, stroking my cheek with his thumb. “I think I fell a bit in love with you that first day I saw you looking at the house. You were so excited, so determined to take the entire thing on yourself I wouldn’t have been surprised if you’d jumped onto the roof and started ripping shingles off with your bare hands.”
“I was a bit hyper that day.” I gave his chest a pat. “You took off so fast I thought you were a jerk.”
“I believe you called me asshole.” He kissed my lips softly. “I’d just had a meeting with Carl the day before. He’d been very clear that this show was my opportunity to repair my reputation. The fact that you were gorgeous and happened to be the designer on the show just seemed like fate working against me.”
“And what about now? Do you still think fate has it out for you?” With a single, easy movement, Fynn scooped me up into his arms. I tried not to react, but I couldn’t stop the giggle from exploding out of me. “What are you doing?”
“I’m making this right.”
“Brian!” Fynn called out.
“Yeah?” Brian came out from the kitchen and stopped dead when he saw us. “Ah, yeah. I’d ask what’s up, but it seems obvious.”
Fynn nodded. “Sophia and I need the rest of the day for negotiations. Tyler can run the site while I’m gone.”
“No problem.” Brian’s smile grew to fill his face. “I’ll see the two of you tomorrow.”
“Yup.” Fynn turned and marched us out the door toward his truck.
I snuggled down a bit deeper into his arms. “This is all very caveman. I’m not exactly sure how I’m supposed to respond.”
He said nothing else until he opened the front door of his truck and set me on the seat. Leaning over me, he kissed me hard, his hand finding my breast to tease my nipple through my clothing. “Sophia, things started off...odd between us. This might have been nothing but sex at first, but every day I got to know you better. You’re an amazing woman. Brilliant, funny and kind. You’re the type of woman I always imagined I’d fall in love with.”
“Love?” My heart pounded and my head got a bit light. My own feelings for Fynn had been shifting closer to the “Oh my God, I need this man with me every day” end of the spectrum, but I hadn’t realized he felt the same. “You love me?”
“Of course I love you.” He closed his eyes for a moment before chuckling. “You say that like it’s strange or something.”
“No, I know I’m lovable. And for the record, I love you, too. I just didn’t know that you’d succumbed to Hurricane Sophia.” I leaned up and sucked the tip of his nose, making sure to tease the tip with my tongue.
“How could I not? Now unless you have any objections, I plan to take you back to my place and make love to you for the rest of the day. In a bed, as requested. When you get too tired—”
“Or I wear you out.”
“Or you wear me out, I’ll then give you a tour and make you supper.” When he smiled at me, I knew that from this moment on he and I were going to be inseparable. “How’s that sound?”
I hadn’t been this happy before. My career was on track, my family had grown and, for the first time in my life, I was with a man who appreciated all aspects of the person I’d grown to become. Things were pretty much perfect.
I gave him one quick kiss before letting out a sigh. “Like you nailed it, my love. Totally nailed it.”
* * * * *
About the Author
Christine d’Abo is hooked on romance. As a novelist and short-story writer with over thirty publications, including the immensely popular Long Shots series, her imagination is always flowing. She loves to exercise and stops writing just long enough to keep her body in motion, too. When she’s not pretending to be a ninja in her basement, she’s most likely spending time with her family and two dogs. Please visit her at www.christinedabo.com.
Also by Christine d’Abo
Carina Press
Double Shot
A Shot in the Dark
Pulled Long
Calling the Shots
Choose Your Shot: An Interactive Erotic Adventure
Sexcapades
Club Wonderland
Naughty Nicks
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ISBN-13: 9781460328231
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Copyright © 2014 by Christine D’Abo
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