by Tina Folsom
With a nervous laugh, she pulled her keychain out of her bag and handed it to Triton. His fingers brushed against hers in the process. Sophia pulled her hand away and dropped it in her lap, feeling as if an electric charge had just gone through her body.
When the sound of the car engine hummed, she tried to relax back into her seat but was jerked forward as the car lurched a few feet forward before the engine stuttered and died.
“What in Hades?” Triton cursed.
“You were in gear,” she noted dryly.
“What?” His confusion was apparent.
“Stick shift.” Sophia pointed at the gear stick.
“Oh. I, uh,” he stammered.
Then she suddenly realized something. “I’m sorry. You’re probably used to driving an automatic, right? I guess, I just assumed with you being from Europe, you’d be used to driving a stick shift.”
“Yes, yes, that’s right. I learned driving in America, so I’m used to automatics. That’s what it is. But how hard can it be, right? Shall we try it again?” There was a definite smile in Triton’s voice, she thought. At least he wasn’t one of those men who felt embarrassed about his ineptness when it came to cars. Most guys would get bent out of shape if a woman ever caught onto how badly they drove.
“Do you mind if I quickly show you the gears and explain it? I’m rather attached to my car,” Sophia said. She hoped he wasn’t the kind of guy who didn’t like to get directions from a woman.
“Go ahead,” he offered.
She put her left hand onto the gear stick. “Place your foot on the left pedal. That’s the clutch. Press it all the way down and hold it there.”
“Done,” he confirmed.
“Then, you can move from one gear to the next, and once you’re in gear, you’ll slowly let go of the clutch and press down the gas pedal.” She shifted with her left hand.
“Like this?” he asked and placed his hand over hers. She hadn’t expected his touch, and the renewed contact with his warm skin sent her pulse racing. A slow tremble started in her belly and threatened to burst to the surface.
Sophia swallowed hard before she answered him, “Yes, first gear is here, second, then third and fourth. See the pattern on the knob?” she mumbled as she shifted with his hand clasping hers. “You won’t need the fifth in the city.”
Triton chuckled. “We’ll see about that. How about I tease everything out of this car that it’s got? I should warn you that I have a talent for wringing the last drop of excitement and passion out of anything and anybody.”
A shiver raced down Sophia’s spine.
God, help her if he did.
“Ready?” he asked.
Was she ever? “Yes, we’d better leave. I don’t want to be late.” She tried her most professional voice to hide her nervousness.
Triton let go of the stick shift and her hand and started the engine again. She dropped her hand back in her lap.
“I think you should help me shift,” he suddenly said, “just for the first couple of blocks, until I get the hang of it.”
Without waiting for her answer, he took her hand and placed it back onto the gear stick, encasing it with his own much larger one.
“First gear?” he asked. Sophia felt a light pressure from his hand and followed it to put the stick into first.
“Mmm hmm,” she mumbled, her throat too dry to speak a coherent word. This ride would be her undoing.
After two blocks, Triton was shifting like a pro, and she tried to pull her hand away, but he stopped her.
“I’m still learning,” he claimed when she knew he’d already mastered the task.
While at first his shifting was slightly jerky, by the time he pulled up in front of the bank, she couldn’t tell that this was the first time he’d driven a stick shift. Maybe men were born to drive cars. Sophia remembered that it had taken her almost two weeks to get used to the stick shift after she’d traded Eleni’s station wagon in for the used sports car.
Or maybe Triton was just a natural with cars. And maybe with other things too.
Chapter Fourteen
Triton held the door open for Sophia and led her into the bank.
His first driving experience had gone well, he thought. In fact, he’d discovered how much he liked driving that little red sports car. And after she’d shown him how to shift gears, he’d instantly caught on. Not that he’d let her know how fast a learner he really was. He’d pretended to still have difficulties so she would keep her hand on the gear stick. It was a perfectly legitimate excuse to touch her, just like now when he took her hand and placed it onto his forearm to guide her through the busy foyer.
He noticed Sophia fidgeting.
“Are you okay?” Triton asked.
She shrugged it off. “Yes, I’m fine. The bank manager knows my family well, I’m sure I’ll be able to convince him to give me an extension for a few weeks.”
She’d told him about the purpose of their visit on the drive there. Because of her hospital stay, the renovations were lagging a couple of weeks, and the opening of the B&B would have to be postponed, a consequence of which was that the first money from paying guests would be later than anticipated. And it was this money Sophia relied upon to make her mortgage payment.
Triton nodded and patted her hand. “You’ll do just fine.” He walked her to the reception desk. The woman sitting behind it immediately straightened and put a beaming smile on her face.
“May I help you?” The question was directed at him, not at Sophia. As were the batting eyelashes. Figured.
“Yes, I’m here to see Clive Henderson,” Sophia announced.
Without taking her eyes off Triton, the receptionist asked, “Mr. Henderson? Are you sure?” The woman moistened her lips and gave him a come-hither look from under her lashes.
“Yes. The appointment was made for me last week. I’m Sophia Baker.”
“One moment.” With a reluctant movement, the receptionist picked up the receiver and dialed. “Yes, it’s Pippa. I have a Sophia Baker here to see Mr. Henderson.” She paused and nodded. “That’s what I thought too. No, apparently last week. Sure. Okay. Will do.”
Pippa disconnected the call and pointed toward an elevator behind her. “Go up to the fifth floor. The assistant will meet you there.”
“Thank you,” Sophia answered.
Triton took her arm again and steered her toward the elevators. He sensed goose bumps on her skin. “Don’t worry, it’ll be all right. No need to be nervous.”
The seconds they spent in the elevator were torture for Triton. Her scent instantly spread in the small space and made him acutely aware of her closeness. If they got stuck here, if the elevator stopped and they were forced to remain alone for an extended length of time, he wouldn’t be able to control himself. He’d press her against the cold steel of the cabin and kiss her breathless. And then he’d—
Triton cleared his throat. It was stupid to let his imagination run rampant like this. All it led to was a hard-on and an unquenchable yearning for Sophia.
When the elevator doors opened after what felt like an eternity, he could finally breathe again.
An assistant led them into a large corner office overlooking the city. The man behind the desk was in his fifties, graying, and by the looks of it hadn’t smiled in a century. He remained stone-faced when he saw Sophia. What kind of a friend of the family was that, Triton wondered.
“Good morning,” Sophia greeted him and stretched out her hand in his general direction.
He stepped around his desk. “Miss Baker, I’m Mr. Morton.”
Sophia instantly withdrew her hand. “Oh, I think we got the wrong office, sorry, we—”
“You’re in the right office, Miss Baker. Mr. Henderson is not with us anymore.”
Triton noticed the slight shaking in Sophia’s body and stroked over her arm in a soothing motion.
“But, I made the appointment last week.”
Mr. Morton gave her an impatient glance. “Mr. Hende
rson is not in charge anymore. I am. So, why don’t you have a seat, and we’ll go over what you wanted to discuss with him.”
He pointed to the two chairs in front of his desk. Triton assisted Sophia before he took the chair next to her.
“And you might be?” the banker asked Triton.
“This is my—”
Triton squeezed Sophia’s hand to interrupt her. Something in Mr. Morton’s demeanor told him, Sophia’s explanation that he was her healthcare worker would put her in a weak position. “I’m Miss Baker’s fiancé. Triton Waters.”
Before Triton knew what he was doing, the lie had spilled from his lips easier than water from a tap. Well, at least it would show the man that she had support and that he couldn’t mess with her.
The little jolt in Sophia’s body was only noticeable to Triton, and he took it in stride. He’d explain his reasoning to her later. For now, it was better to get on with the charade.
“I see. Miss Baker, may I speak candidly in front of your fiancé? As you’re aware, the financial records are in your name alone.”
Sophia nodded, still looking slightly shell-shocked. “Of course, Mr. Morton. My, uh, fiancé can hear everything you have to say. Mr. Morton, I came to see Mr. Henderson to—”
The banker raised his hand. “I had a look at your file, Miss Baker, and saw the notes Mr. Henderson made before his, uh, departure. My understanding is that your payments are to start in two weeks. Is that correct?”
“Yes, and that’s why I wanted to talk to you about a possible—”
Again the man interrupted her. His behavior was getting downright rude. “The note here also says that you’ve been in the hospital for an extended period of time and were unable to attend to the renovation of the Bed and Breakfast. Miss Baker, I trust that you’re well again?”
Triton saw the suspicious glint in the man’s eyes and answered for her, “Sophia is doing perfectly fine. There’s nothing to be concerned about.”
“Good. I wouldn’t want the bank’s investment to be in jeopardy because of a prolonged illness.”
“Of course not,” Triton interjected.
Sophia shifted in her chair. “Mr. Morton, while I was in the hospital, certain things have gotten behind schedule, and I fear the opening of the B&B may be delayed.”
The banker’s expression hardened, and Triton knew the man wouldn’t budge an inch when it came to extending the loan. He’d seen his type before. He followed the rules and showed no flexibility. A sob story wouldn’t affect him. Triton felt like taking Sophia out of the man’s office, but she seemed determined to get what she came for.
“I would therefore like to ask the bank to extend the time until I have to make my first payment by four weeks.”
“Four weeks?” Morton asked and stood up behind his desk. “I don’t think you understand, Miss Baker. Mr. Henderson should have never extended this loan in the first place. You have no experience when it comes to the hotel industry, you have no other income, no savings to speak of, and now on top of it, you can’t keep to your schedule. Why don’t you admit that you’ve taken on more than you can handle?”
Sophia’s face went white in shock. Her hand trembled. “Mr. Morton, my application was solid. I submitted a business plan—”
“I looked at your business plan, Miss Baker, and frankly, I don’t like it. Already before you’ve even started, you’re behind. You’re on your own and took on a project you have no chance of handling and you want—”
Triton shot up from his seat. He’d heard enough. Nobody had the right to speak to Sophia like that. “Mr. Morton, Miss Baker is not on her own. She has my support in this venture.”
“I don’t see your name on the papers, Mr. Waters.”
“That may be the case, but it doesn’t mean I don’t lend my full support to the project. Now that I’m here, I assure you, the renovation will come off without a hitch.”
Morton nodded stiffly. “I’m counting on it, otherwise I have no choice but to foreclose on the loan.” He turned to Sophia. “There’ll be no extension on the loan. I expect your first payment on the due date.”
Sophia rose, and Triton instantly took her arm. So far, Morton had apparently not noticed that she was practically blind, and Triton wanted it to remain that way. If he knew the truth, chances were he’d call in the loan this instant.
“You’ll receive what you’re owed, I assure you,” she pressed out, holding up her head with dignity.
“Thank you for your time, Mr. Morton,” Triton said in dry tones and swept Sophia out of the room. The man was an ass, and another second in his company was a second too much.
In the elevator, Triton saw Sophia’s lips tremble. She was on the verge of tears. He knew if he’d put his arms around her, she’d cry. But he needed to get her out of the bank without tears, so he refrained from touching her more than necessary. The restraint nearly tore him apart.
“Hold on just a few minutes,” he urged her before he guided her through the crowded foyer and out the door.
The moment he had her situated in the car, Triton hit the gas pedal and raced out of town. He saw a sign for a beach and followed it. Only when the smell of the ocean drifted into his nose and he pulled up to park alongside the dunes, did Sophia speak.
“Where are we?”
Triton killed the engine and jumped out of the car. “At the beach.” He sauntered around the vehicle and helped her out of it. Her knees buckled under her. Without hesitation, he lifted her into his arms and carried her to the beach, where he lowered himself into the sand.
He kept her in his embrace. “Now it’s okay to cry,” he whispered to her.
A second later, the first sob tore from her chest, and then the floodgates opened. Triton had never liked a woman’s need to cry when he knew it wouldn’t change a thing about the outcome. But for some reason, he felt it was what Sophia needed, to cry without anybody judging her.
With both his arms wrapped around her in a cocoon, he rocked her softly like a baby. He felt her tears wet his shirt and her hands press against his chest. It felt good to hold her. He wished he could take all the obstacles that caused her so much pain from her path, but without his godly powers, he felt useless. All he could offer her was a shoulder to cry on.
***
Sophia felt the soft ocean breeze caress her back and Triton’s arms holding her tightly in his lap. Both actions soothed her, and finally her tears stopped. The shock of knowing that her only ally at the bank, Clive Henderson, wasn’t working there anymore, and by the sounds of it, had gotten fired, was just too much for her strained psyche. She hadn’t been prepared to handle the much stricter Morton. How she would get the B&B open within two weeks was beyond her.
Triton had been amazing, getting her through the entire situation and then out of the building without causing a scene. She needed to thank him. This definitely went beyond his job description. Sophia raised her head from his chest and pulled herself straight. “About what happened at the bank—”
Triton put a finger on her lips. “I’m sorry about that. I don’t know what came over me, but—”
“Sorry, about what?” She was confused. Why would he be sorry about having gotten her out of this situation as gracefully as was humanly possible?
“I shouldn’t have lied about who I was, but frankly, I didn’t have a good feeling about this man the moment I saw him.”
“Lied? You mean your name isn’t Triton Waters?” A twinge of panic coursed through her, and she suddenly realized she was still sitting on his lap. With as much grace as she could muster, she scrambled off him. Had he lied to her about who he was?
“No, no, of course my name is Triton Waters,” he said quickly, but his voice didn’t sound as sure as she would have wanted to hear it. Was he hiding something? “But, the other thing.”
There was a brief pause during which Sophia held her breath. "What other thing?"
“The lie about being your fiancé.”
How could she have fo
rgotten what he’d said to Morton? She let out a nervous laugh. “Oh, that. Yes.” She swallowed hard, unable to form a coherent sentence. The moment he’d lied to the banker, she’d felt a strange sense of warmth in her body, a calmness that had spread at the thought that there was somebody on her side, somebody who was supporting her. Now she felt silly about it.
“I only said it because I didn’t want him to think you had nobody helping you. I hope you don’t mind. And I don’t think he noticed that you’re partially blind,” Triton added.
Sophia flinched. She didn’t like to be reminded of her handicap, but she figured it was good Morton didn’t know. “Thanks for helping me.”
“That’s what I’m here for.”
Right, she’d hired him to help her. He wasn’t her friend, just her employee, and she should be careful to remember that in the future. Letting herself go and crying on his shoulder like she’d done only minutes earlier wouldn’t do. Triton was probably embarrassed by it.
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. I like doing what I’m doing.” His voice was as soft as the ocean breeze. “I think a walk along the beach would do you some good. You look pale.”
Sophia bet she did. Four weeks in a hospital without her regular trips to the shore could wipe any color from a girl’s face.
Chapter Fifteen
Orion slammed his fist into his palm. Perched high on a cloud, he looked down onto the disturbing scene taking place on a beach in the mortal world.
His worthless half-brother Triton was walking in the sand, lending his arm to an attractive young woman with flowing dark hair. Orion could hear them talk, chatting about vacations and work. Like Triton knew anything about the latter.
Orion huffed. “Wait until she’s got you figured out.” From what he knew about the woman Triton had set his eyes on, she would figure out soon enough how shallow he was. He’d never have a chance with her.