Her Sweetest Fortune

by Stella Bagwell

  White hot fire shot straight to the core of her, causing her lower body to involuntarily arch toward his.

  Moaning, she thrust her fingers into his hair and held his head fast against her. Too soon the exquisite pleasure turned into needy pain and she tugged on his hair to signal her need for relief.

  He lifted his head and in that split second when their eyes met, Sophie felt a connection so deep and real that tears stung the backs of her eyes. This was the special thing she’d been searching for. And now that she’d found it, she had to hold tight and cherish every second of passion that Mason was giving her.

  “Oh, Mason, I want you,” she whispered. “So much that it’s scary.”

  Groaning, he brought his lips back to hers. “That’s the way it’s supposed to be. Wild and scary and special.”

  As the last word was spoken against her lips, Sophie circled her arms around his neck and opened her mouth to his. In a matter of seconds he was kissing her with a need so deep it rocked her senses. And when his tongue slipped inside, she eagerly responded, reveling in the taste of him, while wanting more and more.

  Somewhere in the back of her spinning mind, she recognized his hands were tracing her heated skin, exploring the hills and valleys, pausing at her breasts and belly, before finally moving downward to the juncture between her thighs.

  He quickly stripped away her panties and when his fingers found her most intimate spot, she moaned with need, her hips arching toward the pleasure he was bestowing.

  Incredible. No one had ever touched her like this, she thought wildly. No one had ever turned her whole being into one aching flame. It was carrying her away and the helpless feeling had her frantically grabbing his shoulders and crying out.

  “It’s okay, Sophie,” he whispered in a voice rough with passion. “Just ride it out. Let yourself feel everything.”

  The sound of his masculine voice urging her onward was all it took for Sophie to surrender to everything he was giving. And all at once she was spinning out of control, her body writhing against his hand, her cries of pleasure like music to his ears.

  Before the quaking aftermaths subsided, his mouth was back on hers, his tongue thrusting deep as it searched the ribbed roof and the sharp edges of her teeth. After the explosion that had just gone off inside her, she’d not expected to feel more. But she’d been wrong. Hot passion was throbbing inside her once again, driving her hands to move over the hard muscles of his torso, her legs to wrap invitingly around his.

  Eventually, he tore his mouth away from hers and by then they were both gulping for air and Sophie wondered if he was just as dazed as she was by the urgent need that had suddenly and completely combusted between them.

  “Sophie, I think you want this as much as I do, but what’s going on with us—it’s happened so fast. If you’re uncertain, tell me. Because when this is over I don’t want you to look at me with hate or regret.”

  Her throat was so tight with raw emotions she could barely force her words out. “Yes, Mason! Yes, I want this. I want you. There will be no regret. Not now. Not ever.”

  He pressed his lips gently to hers, then eased away to open a drawer on the nightstand. “I’ll get some protection.”

  Even though Sophie could count on one hand the times she’d had intimate relations with a man in the past five years, she did take the Pill. But she didn’t bother explaining this to Mason. She wanted him to feel safe and protected.

  Moments later, he returned to her and as he positioned himself over her, Sophie shivered with a need that went far beyond the physical. She wasn’t just giving her body to this man. She was trusting her heart to him.

  As he hovered over her, his hands gently cradled her face and the tender touch overwhelmed her with sweet emotions, the sort she’d dreamed about.

  “You’re my Valentine, Sophie. My sweetest Valentine.” His head shook back and forth as though he was trying to wake himself from a dream. “I didn’t know we were going to be making love. I never thought this would happen. But now that we are—Oh, Sophie, I’m shaking.”

  Linking her hands at the back of his neck, she drew him down to her and whispered against his lips. “I’m shaking, too. But it will be special. So special.”

  “Yes. Oh, yes.”

  She opened her legs to him and then slowly, gently, he entered her warm, welcoming body.

  The intimate connection was even more incredible than she expected and for long moments, she could scarcely breathe. But then he began to move and suddenly hot vibrations were radiating through her body, filling her with a need so reckless and wild she couldn’t contain it.

  Before long, she was matching the rhythm of his movements, straining to give him everything he was giving her. Over and over their bodies crashed together in mindless ecstasy.

  Sophie lost all awareness of time and place. All she knew was Mason’s hot body pushing her, driving her to a place she’d never been before. Her heart was racing, pounding in her ears like a frantic drumbeat, while her breaths had turned into little more than raspy gulps.

  This white hot passion was everything and more than she’d been searching for, but never found until tonight. Until she’d stepped into Mason’s arms. This couldn’t be a one-time thing. No, this fire between them had to be the kind that never died. Never turned cold.

  Just as the desperate thoughts rolled through her mind, she could feel his strokes growing faster and faster. The speed tugged her along and before she realized just how far she’d climbed, she was standing on the edge of a star, where moon dust was showering over her, and her heart was overflowing with warm, precious love.

  “Sophie, Sophie.”

  As she floated through the starlight, she heard him call her name, but she couldn’t utter a word. All she could do was cling to him and wait for her whirling senses to return to her body.

  Long moments passed before she slowly became aware of Mason’s torso draped over hers, his damp cheek resting upon her shoulder. She could feel his heart thudding rapidly against her breast, his warm breath fanning her arm.

  She threaded her fingers through his damp hair, loving the way the waves felt against her skin.

  “I’m heavy. I need to move.” He rolled to one side and reached for a pillow. After he’d stuffed it beneath her head, he lay beside her and she shifted so that her face was aligned with his.

  “I never expected my Valentine’s evening to be like this.” She reached over and slid her hand down his muscled arm. “Thank you, Mason, for not wanting me to be alone.”

  He smiled. “I’m the selfish one, Sophie. I wanted you to be with me tonight. So I’m thanking you for being here—next to me.” He cupped her face with his hand. “You’re so beautiful, Sophie. Inside and out. Have I ever told you that?”

  Her heart swelling with emotions, she caught his hand and drew it to her lips. “Not exactly,” she murmured. “But the lighting is bad in here. You might change your mind tomorrow.”

  Chuckling, he drew her tight against him and buried his face in the damp curve of her neck. “Are you trying to be as funny as me?”

  “I’m trying to be real.”

  He eased his head back and Sophie could see the humor in his eyes had disappeared.

  “Sophie, please, don’t ever doubt me. Maybe it sounds like I’m just mouthing words that I think you want to hear. But I’m not. Eventually, you’re going to see that I’m being honest with you.”

  Curling an arm around his waist, she pressed her cheek against his chest and closed her eyes. “You’re a good man, Mason. And if it seems like I’m being mistrustful, well, I—I’m having trouble hanging on to my trust in anyone. I’m having trouble keeping my faith about anything—especially love and marriage.”

  “Sophie,” he gently scolded. “That’s not like you. Has Thom done something unforgivable? I know you said you’d rather not talk about it. But maybe talking about it now would help.”

  His fingers were making gentle, soothing circles upon her back and the soun
d of his steady heartbeat beneath her ears was lulling her into a safe cocoon. One that she never wanted to leave.

  “It’s not Thom. Yes, he was a big disappointment. That’s not exactly right, either. I’m very disappointed in myself for being so stupid about him. No, this is something else. It’s—” She tilted her head back so that she could see his face. “It’s about my family, Mason. Things are so—I’m so mixed up. I don’t know what to think anymore. Yesterday we had a family meeting—just us siblings. And Ben has discovered that we have a half sister we never knew existed. An offspring of one of my father’s numerous affairs. This young woman lives right here in Austin. Actually, her mother was our neighbor! Oh, Mason, can you imagine your father having an affair with your neighbor? And having a child from it? I don’t know what to believe anymore. Who to trust.”

  His hand smoothed the tangled hair from her brow. “Honestly, Sophie, I can’t imagine any of it. My dad has always been rock solid for his family. To learn otherwise would really shake me. You’ve already had to deal with his fake identity. That should be enough. And then the half brother from London. I thought surely that would be the end of things.”

  She bit her bottom lip as tears threatened to slip from her eyes. “I shouldn’t be telling you any of this. My father’s your boss. But I—oh, Mason, you’re the only one I can really talk to about this. My sisters—well, Olivia, is just plain indifferent. I can’t understand where she’s coming from. And Zoe, she’s always been in Dad’s camp. Then there’s Rachel. She’s the one who sort of unearthed all of this about Dad in the first place. I think she’s been pretty shaken by it all, too. But she’s married and lives in Horseback Hollow now. She’s not always around for me to commiserate with.”

  He continued to stroke her hair and the strong rhythmic feel of his fingers helped to ease her troubled mind.

  “As far as I’m concerned, you don’t have to worry, Sophie. What you tell me in private will stay private. But I’m curious about one thing. What does your mother say about all this? Do you think your parents might get a divorce? Is that what’s troubling you?”

  His questions pulled a long groan from Sophie’s throat. “I’m clueless about my parents, Mason. When Mother found out about Keaton it was like she just turned the other cheek. Not long ago I tried to talk with her about it, but she doesn’t want to discuss it. Maybe she doesn’t want to go through a messy divorce and split up millions of dollars of assets. Or maybe she still loves Dad in spite of everything. I just don’t know. But if more illegitimate children start to appear, I can’t fathom her just turning a blind eye to the awful truth. Oh, Mason, don’t you see? My family isn’t real to me anymore. Everything is fake and cloaked in secrecy.”

  He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her tight against him. “Sophie, there’s nothing fake about you. You’re one of the most real people I’ve ever known. You can’t let any of this drag you down or make you doubt yourself.”

  All of a sudden she wanted to tell him how very much she adored him. She wanted him to understand how making love to him had been so perfect and right. But this was the first time they’d been together as a real couple. She didn’t want to spoil things by going too fast.

  “Being here with you is the most real thing that’s ever happened to me, Mason,” she murmured. “Is it too late to say Happy Valentine’s Day?”

  “It’s not a bit too late. The night is just starting.”

  *

  It was the wee hours of the morning when Mason drove Sophie back to the parking garage to pick up her car. Although he’d wanted her to stay overnight at his place, she’d reasoned that it wouldn’t be smart for the other Robinson Tech employees to see them arriving at work together. At least, not yet. Not until everyone could see that Sophie was no longer dating Thom. She hardly needed to add more gossip about her family to what was already going around the office.

  Mason had been none too happy about Sophie’s desire to keep their relationship a secret. But he’d understood her reasons and had finally promised to go along with her wishes. The fact that he was willing to do that for her made her love him even more.

  Love. Had she already fallen in love with Mason? One session of hot, mind-blowing sex shouldn’t make her heart fall in love.

  No, it was more than sex that was making her heart want to sing with joy, she thought. Making love to Mason had been perfect. More perfect than she could’ve ever imagined. But the truth was, she’d been falling in love with him for some time now. She’d just been too blind to see it.

  She was walking through the house on the way to her bedroom, thinking about Mason and how her life had taken an abrupt change, when she spotted a dim light filtering from the partially opened doorway of her father’s study.

  Even though Gerald Robinson was a workaholic, she’d never seen him in his study at nearly four in the morning. Or was that her father burning the midnight oil? As far as she knew, he was still out of town.

  With the red bear Mason had given her clutched beneath one arm, Sophie silently tiptoed to the door. She peered in and stared in complete confusion. Her mother was sitting at the desk, carefully studying papers scattered in front of her. Her mother never involved herself in Robinson Tech business. Nor in the household accounts; a private secretary took care of them. So what was she doing? Digging into her husband’s secret transactions? Or perhaps it was love letters?

  A part of Sophie wanted to barge into the room and demand answers. She wanted to scream at her mother that she was sick of the lies and secrets. But that wouldn’t be a particularly smart move. Knowing Charlotte, she would simply dismiss Sophie’s confrontation as childish and order her out of the study. No, if Sophie wanted to discover the truth, she’d have to be far more patient and subtle about going after it.

  Sophie, there’s nothing fake about you. You’re one of the most real people I’ve ever known.

  Mason’s words suddenly returned to her and Sophie glanced down at the bear she was clutching tightly to her breast. For Mason’s sake, for her own sake, she couldn’t hide from the truth about her family. Nor could she hide from these newborn feelings in her heart.

  Her faith in her family had been shattered, but she had to trust Mason. She had to believe that their relationship would grow into something strong and unbreakable. She had to keep telling herself that her life, her marriage was going to be real and filled with love. She was not going to be a cold woman sitting alone at her husband’s desk at four in the morning.

  Chapter Twelve

  Three days later on Friday morning, Mason got a call from his brother, Doug. Because it was unusual for him to be phoning him at work, Mason answered rather than let it go to his voice mail.

  “Don’t worry, I’m still able to tell time,” Doug joked. “It’s ten in the morning and we’re both busy, so I’ll just keep you a minute. I wanted to see if you’d like to drive down and go to the Spurs game tonight. Shawn’s going, too. They’re playing the Grizzlies, so it should be good.”

  Normally, Mason wouldn’t hesitate. Basketball and his brothers’ company would make for a great evening, even with the eighty mile drive down to San Antonio. But it wouldn’t be worth missing a chance to be with Sophie.

  “Sounds good, Doug. But I think I’m going to be busy tonight.”

  “You think? You mean you don’t know yet? Don’t tell me you’re working late. I’m the one who’s supposed to be chained to my desk. I shouldn’t keep the scales of justice waiting and all that. But if I can put off a case, then you can put off an app.”

  Mason settled back in his chair. “It’s not work. It’s a woman.”

  There was pause, then Doug said, “If that’s the case, then I can hardly blame you.”

  Since the night of Valentine’s Day, Mason and Sophie had been together every night at his apartment. Normally, that much time with any woman, including Christa, would have cooled his ardor. But with Sophie the time together had only kindled his desire. If possible, the sex between them had grown ev
en hotter. And as good as that was, Mason couldn’t help but feel uneasy.

  Tonight he wanted to take her out to a nice dinner, but he doubted she would agree to such a date. She’d be afraid the two of them would be seen together, he thought grimly. He could understand her wanting to keep their relationship a secret, up to a point. But the more he dwelt on the problem, the more he recalled how she’d seemed quite proud to be seen sitting with Thom in the break room. But Thom Nichols was Mr. Dreamboat, the marketing strategist. Being seen with him had been different than Mason, the computer geek.

  “Mason? Are you still there? Can you hear me?”

  Mason wiped a hand over his face. “Sorry, Doug. I was thinking.”

  “Is that what you call it?”

  His brother’s wry question caused Mason to groan. “Doug, do you remember me telling you a few days back about a woman? The wealthy one?”

  “Vaguely,” he teased, then added in a more serious tone, “Yes, I remember. The boss’s daughter. Don’t tell me she’s the one who’d make you turn down a night of basketball.”

  “That’s what I’m saying.”

  Doug whistled. “Damn, brother, you’re playing with fire.”

  “Yeah. I’m standing close to the flames all right. But she’s worth it.”

  “Worth losing your job?”

  These past years his work at Robinson Tech had been the most important achievements he’d made in his life. The thought of putting his job in jeopardy was unnerving, but not nearly as much as losing Sophie.

  “If it came to that,” he said bluntly.

  “Wow! Mason, you sound like you’ve fallen hard for this woman.”

  Had he fallen in love with Sophie? The question sent uncertainty drifting through him like a cold, dark fog. Sophie was so out of his league it was ridiculous. She could have most any man she set her eyes on, a man far wealthier and accomplished than Thom Nichols or anyone working for Robinson Tech.