by C. J. Thomas
I waited all day for this, I thought as I went for the card next.
My name—my full name—was handwritten on the envelope, Ms. Sophia Monroe.
Pulling out the card, I opened it with a fluttering heart.
And I held my breath as I began reading the words.
Sophia,
I hope this box of gifts finds you well. I had the gown specifically tailored this afternoon. Sorry it took much longer than expected, thus the reason behind the suspense you must have been feeling as you waited for its arrival. My apologies, and I do hope that it fits. Though I do feel as if I went a bit overboard to attend a simple fundraiser, I wanted to make sure you felt as invited as I know you’ll be received. The contents inside will equip you with everything you will need to ensure your night is as much of a success as my own.
See you soon.
~Nolan
Unable to stop myself from smiling, I appreciated his honesty. Finally, I was getting some answers to the many questions I couldn’t stop asking myself. At least, now, I had an idea of how I should approach tonight.
But I wasn’t sure I felt comfortable labeling it a date.
Digging through the thick layers of tissue paper, I eventually pulled out a black velvet jewelry box. And when I opened it, I gasped at the sight of a pearl necklace.
Shaking my head, I dug even deeper.
And I laughed when I pulled the sleeveless purple gown out from the bottom of the box.
I stood, holding it up against my frame, twirling around as if I was at the event already. It was a soft, stretchy, form-fitting velvet that no doubt would fit me perfectly.
Twirling my way into the bedroom, I had my robe off and the gown on in a matter of seconds. Quickly, I assessed the measurements in the mirror. The center slit was sexy, bringing more attention to my chest than I normally preferred, but I couldn’t deny how perfectly Nolan managed to execute my wardrobe.
Twisting back toward the bed, I pulled the white heels—the last of my surprises—from the box and slipped them on. Surprised yet again, they fit me perfectly.
And when I moved back to the mirror to clasp the pearl necklace around my neck, all I could think about was how Nolan had an amazing ability to perceive a woman’s measurements. If I had been scared of him before, now I was absolutely terrified in the best of ways.
Reaching for my cell phone, I stood in front of the mirror and snapped Sienna a quick photo and sent it via text. That was when I noticed the time.
Ten minutes to eight.
I inhaled a deep breath in an attempt to get my nerves under control.
Suddenly, my phone dinged with a message. Holy shit! You’re smoking hot!
I laughed and ran my fingers over the material, feeling like Cinderella. Meeting Nolan had caught me by surprise and it was all happening entirely too fast. And now that he had me all dressed up, I couldn’t help but wonder what he expected to get in return for his impressive efforts.
Now I know you’re out to get laid, Sienna wrote back in a text.
Suddenly, there was a small knock on the door and I had little doubt it was anyone other than Nolan.
Quickly, I wrote Sienna back. Remember, this isn’t a date.
12
Nolan
A flood of emotions had been pumping through my veins since my surprise earlier of seeing Sophia. Even though I still had a dozen other tasks to complete before tonight, she had this amazing ability to infiltrate my focus and dominate my thoughts.
And it was because of her that I felt like I could actually pull tonight’s event off without having to worry about my decision to take her instead of the one person everyone was expecting me to bring—Audrey.
Watching the building lights glimmer in the foreground of darkened mountains, I was convinced that I had made the right decision. Sophia was a fantastic alternative, and I hoped that my family would also see the same amazing qualities I saw in her.
All afternoon, my body was constantly in motion.
I was excited at the prospect of learning more about what kind of woman Sophia was. What kinds of foods were her favorite, how she handled herself in crowds, new social situations, and if she could find amusement in situations that otherwise tended to feel stuffy. I wanted to know it all, but mostly I was just nervous that tonight wouldn’t go as well as I needed it to.
Balling my hand into a tight fist, I knew that Charlotte and Cooper were already counting on me to accept the fact that my date couldn’t be anybody other than Audrey.
I hadn’t told anyone about Sophia, and because I also hadn’t called Audrey, it was safe for me to assume that word had gotten out that Nolan Foster was attending the Rothschild Family Foundation’s fundraiser alone. Knowing that wasn’t the case, I could almost feel the drama that was sure to come from seeing another woman hanging off my arm.
I sighed as I glanced out the window, unable to stop myself from thinking about Sophia.
It was the only calming factor in all of this—knowing she was going to be by my side, keeping me from frowning and growing bored from having to attend another family function. Even despite knowingly letting my brother down, Sophia was the right decision for me to make.
When I closed my eyes I quickly imagined how amazing she was going to look in the purple gown I had specifically tailored for her. I hoped she liked it. It was a gamble when guessing the color, and the last-minute challenge to put everything together was nothing short of a headache. Though an enjoyable ache I was happy to endure.
My knee bounced and I couldn’t keep still.
I hadn’t been this excited about taking a woman out in a very long time. I was too busy with work—too busy convincing Dad he could trust me with adding to my list of company responsibilities—that I hadn’t had time to slow down and seek enjoyment in the opposite sex in what felt like far too long for a man my age. There was something special about Sophia that got me fired up, that made me want to drop everything else just to focus on her. And I couldn’t wait to get the night started and introduce her to the world.
By the time the driver pulled into the parking lot of our family rental condo, I had enough adrenaline pumping through my heart that I felt like I could run a marathon.
Pulling my sleeve up over my wrist, I checked the time.
I was early.
But only by ten minutes.
Instead of coming across as eager, I took a moment to glance up at the front door of the condo and mentally prepare myself for what was sure to be an entertaining night.
The living room light shined through the curtain and as I stared into the light, I couldn’t help but wonder what Sophia must have been thinking about all of this.
She seemed to roll with the punches since the dishwasher incident, and she was always quick with her witty replies that made me think she was cool in any situation. But that still didn’t stop me from retreating back into my own dark corners of insecurity.
I overthought everything.
Each glance she gave. Every word I said in response to her. And soon I feared I had come off too strong. Perhaps I could have been less overbearing and anal in my pursuit to getting her to agree to go out with me. But time was against me, and I didn’t want to pass on an opportunity I truly believed was there.
I rolled down the partition and said to Peter, the driver, “Okay, I’m ready.”
Peter moved around and opened my door. Stepping beneath the stars above, I felt the air cool enough to send a chill up my spine. “Thanks, Peter. I’ll take it from here.”
He gave me a knowing nod as if we had done this before. But I wanted to be the one to escort Sophia down the stairs, open her door for her, pull out all the stops in making sure that I sent her home tonight thoroughly impressed.
Hiking up the staircase, I took my time, wanting to arrive exactly when I said I would. It was a flaw of mine—perhaps a flaw most of us Fosters had. But punctuality was something ingrained in all of us and I knew it was a big factor in determining the success our fam
ily business enjoyed.
Flattening my hands over my chest, I smoothed down the wrinkles in my tux.
Then I stopped in front of a window to catch my reflection. I checked my hair, and when I was fully satisfied that I couldn’t do any better, I raised my arm and knocked on the door.
Turning back toward the limo, I saw Peter sitting patiently behind the wheel. I smiled at the beauty of the mountain skyline reflecting off the polish of the limousine’s roof and when I heard the door open behind me, my heart skipped a beat.
Sophia took my breath away.
She looked drop-dead gorgeous.
Without saying a word, I let my eyes take a moment to appreciate how well she fit into the gown I had stressed over when deciding which to send her to wear. She stood tall on her heels, and her incredible curves flared at the hips. Her breasts were exceedingly round, full, and neatly tucked into the fabric like a hammock lazily acting as support. And when our eyes finally met, I bit my bottom lip and murmured in a husky voice, “You look exquisite.”
“Thank you.” She batted her long lashes at me.
“Shall we?” I offered her my arm and she looped hers through the crook of mine, closing the door behind her at the same time. “Would it be rude of me to ask if you remembered to bring your house key with you?”
She angled her eyes up to mine. “If I didn’t, would you let me in after the fundraiser?”
Grinning, I said, “Depends on how tonight goes.”
She looked at me from under inquisitive brows.
My pupils dilated. “Maybe I’ll just want to bring you home instead.”
Her lips threated to pull at the corners as she turned her head. And as I led her down the stairs, I couldn’t stop myself from appreciating the perfectly snug gown. She was both sexy and sophisticated and I just couldn’t wait to see her in action.
“Do you like the dress?” I asked.
“Very much.”
There was sincerity in her tone, and I liked that she could answer my questions easily and with confidence. “I hope I didn’t go overboard.”
Bringing her free hand up from her side, I watched her daring fingers clasp around my arm. “You outdid yourself, Nolan Foster.”
Standing taller, I asked, “Do you like the color?”
“Purple is my favorite.” She smiled. “How did you know?”
Slowing to a near stop before reaching the limousine, I slid my fingers underneath hers and brushed the pad of my thumb over the nails. “I saw you were wearing the color earlier and thought I would try to match it for your dress.”
When she tipped her chin back to look me in the eye, there was a soft expression of adoration sparkling there. And my cock twitched when her cheeks blushed pink. It was the most perfect combination when matched with the light purple eye shadow she wore flawlessly.
Sophia cast her gaze down to our hands and whispered, “I should be frightened of you.”
I felt my limbs wanting to shake but I refused to give in to the fear. “There is nothing to be afraid of.” My brows drew together. “I’m harmless. I promise.”
She shook her head. “No man should know my measurements.” She lifted her gaze back up to mine. “But you did.”
I stepped closer, feeling the gap of air get sucked out between us. Without touching her, our eyes swayed back and forth. Only when I had full confidence that she wouldn’t flinch did I lift my hand and let the backs of my nails trail down her bare arms.
Sophia’s pulse elevated enough to become visible.
And as I watched her chest rise and fall with shallow breaths, I felt supremely larger than her for the first time since our meeting.
Towering over her, I was tempted to cage her inside my arms and squeeze her until she submitted. The vulnerable look she was giving me was the exact opposite of what I knew was true. Sophia was a fighter. She had an unrelenting spirit that was powerful and fierce. I saw it all, knew it was there, yet when I hooked her chin with my finger and tilted her head back, forcing me to look inside those pretty honeycomb eyes, she crumbled as her breath hitched.
“You were easy to size up,” I murmured.
She cocked her head to the side with a racing heart.
“You’re nearly the same size as my baby sister.” I groaned as I took the pearl necklace between my fingers.
Sophia panted between breaths as I leaned forward and inhaled her sweet scent. Spreading my fingers, I raked them up behind her ear before pushing them through her thick locks. Then I slid my other hand around her waist, opening the door behind her.
She looked at me as if she was expecting me to kiss her, and I wanted to. God, did I want to. But, instead, I spun her around and guided her inside the vehicle, keeping the tension high.
Her body bent easily and she moved fluidly into the limo as I watched her lower herself inside. Without her seeing, I turned my head, rounded my lips and blew out a hot breath of air.
I didn’t know how much longer I could hold off.
The ache of heated desire was growing wildly and was almost too much to bear.
She was incredible and I needed to find a way to kiss her before we arrived—knowing that if I didn’t, it would only get worse from here.
Settling beside her, I knocked on the glass partition and let Peter know we were all set to roll. Soon the wheels were set in motion and Sophia was asking, “Do you always pick your dates up in limousines?”
With heavily seduced eyes, I reached for Sophia’s hand. She allowed me to take it and didn’t protest when I pulled her body close by my side. I liked her willingness to comply to my needs as I couldn’t get enough of the many qualities she had to offer. “Is that what this is?”
She fiddled her fingers with mine before angling her head up to meet my eye.
I arched a brow and smirked. “A date?”
Looking away, she tucked her hair behind her ear. “I don’t know what this is.”
Playing with her slender fingers, I gently tugged on each knuckle before stopping on her ring finger. It was ludicrous how this woman was still single. If she was truly everything I believed her to be, men were fools and I was the lucky son-of-a-bitch to have her for tonight.
Leaning close to her ear, my lips fluttered over her cheek as I whispered, “Then maybe this will answer our question for us.”
Her fingers stopped moving as I angled my head to match hers. I lowered my mouth closer to hers, allowing the tips of our noses to brush first. Our breath was labored and we were so close to kissing it was dreadfully painful.
I knew she wanted this as badly as I did.
And as much as I wanted to know what it felt like to have my lips pressed against hers, I also liked admiring her eyes and the way her muscles tightened with uncertainty for what we both knew would come next.
When I watched her lids hood, I leaned closer…
And closer…
Until finally she nudged the last little bit forward, pressing her lips against mine for the first time.
Instantly, her muscles released and my entire blood supply gushed to my groin.
Our tongues gently touched at the tips—a jolt of electricity tingling my senses—and time stopped just before she pulled away as quickly as it had started.
I gasped and caught my breath as Peter began his ascent up the windy mountain road.
Sophia threaded her fingers through mine, leaning more of her weight against me. We didn’t say anything, and I didn’t have to look, because I knew that we were both smiling.
Then I leaned forward when it came into sight. Pointing to the multi-million-dollar mansion on the hill, I said, “You see that there?”
Her eyes widen. “Is that where we’re going?”
“That’s where I’m taking you.” Pride swelled my chest.
Then she flipped her head around and said, “But I thought it was at the venue I saw you at earlier in the village center.”
With my smile hitting my eyes, I said, “I’ve changed my mind.”
&n
bsp; 13
Sophia
My lips still tingled from Nolan’s incredibly gentle kiss.
I was dizzy with emotion and my heart was unable to stop from pounding against my ribs.
Going into tonight, I didn’t have any expectations. I thought that if we both had fun, then maybe he would try to kiss me when it was all over. But having him make his move in the beginning caught me completely by surprise.
A mixture of nerves and excitement kept me close to this amazing man. He made me feel comfortable, like I could trust him with my deepest secrets, and because of that I couldn’t stop from wondering how he could be single.
Glancing to my shoulder, I watched Nolan’s big hand move up and down my arm. Smoothing out the prickles that he inflicted, I was getting drunk on his manly scent. Nolan was the epitome of sex appeal and there was no denying how easily he managed to heat me up.
My head spun as I couldn’t believe that he had already gotten me to kiss him. It wasn’t like me to act as quickly as I did. That was a Sienna type move. Not something I was known for. Not that I thought it was wrong or anything, because I truly didn’t. There were no feelings of shame afterward and I wanted him do it again.
God, did I want him to kiss me again.
Glancing down to my hand resting on his thick muscular thigh, he felt right—this felt right. I couldn’t explain it other than I could feel it in my gut. Never had I experienced something as magical as what I was feeling tonight. It was exciting and effortless and completely unexpected. All positive signs for wanting me to believe that coming to the mountains wasn’t a mistake, but rather something that was meant to be.
Sitting tucked under his arm, I couldn’t stop from thinking how fast this had turned into a date. “Wow.” I gaped at the mansion. “This place is incredible.”
Nolan glanced at me, grinning. “Just wait until you see the inside.”
I held his eyes with mine for a minute before turning back out the window. We meandered up the long driveway before parking beneath the expansive awning. The architecture was an amazing assortment of wood logging, masonry, and windows. Several valets were busy moving vehicles as another stray attendant was keeping the traffic from congesting at the top as the many guests arrived.