by Ann, Natalie
Still, aside from all the work, there was no color on the walls, just a plain white. No pictures, nothing personal at all. It was a workspace for him. It didn’t need to be comfortable. That was for home. “It’s only for work.”
“I understand that. I guess I like my workspace to be more cheery.”
He pulled his phone out of his pocket, held it up and told her to smile. Of course she did. “There, I can put that on my computer screen. It will brighten my office up.”
“That’s ironic. I did the same thing. I thought I would put it in a frame but put it on my screen instead. Now I see your smiling face every time I minimize a window.”
He paused and studied her more. He was still surprised she took his picture at all, but more shocked it was on her screen. “Great minds, right?”
“I think you’ve got a great mind. Not to mention a great body.” She moved in close and whispered, “And some great moves.”
He flushed. Wow, where did that come from? This was a whole new side of her, one he liked. “I could say the same thing.”
“Flattery will get you points,” she said, batting her eyelashes.
“Points, huh? What do I get to redeem those points for?” Damn, they were so easy with each other. He never achieved this level with Linda at all. They never connected like this. They never could even jest with each other. She either took everything literally, or got angry if he teased her. He had long ago stopped doing that with anyone outside of his family. With the exception of Sophia.
“If you play your cards right, maybe you can get lucky.”
OK, well, that was simple and to the point. “I can bring dinner over tonight,” he offered.
“That’s a good start. Depends on what the meal is,” she said, bantering back with him.
He thought for a minute, then said, “Chinese takeout.”
Her eyes went wide, and she let out a little gasp, thoughts of their first meal together all those years ago, no one but the two of them, flashing through her brain again. Quietly, she murmured, “Great minds.”
Maybe Not
She heard the knock, and then the door opened just as she walked into her living room. Phil’s arms were loaded down with a large bag and a six-pack of beer. He kicked the door shut behind him.
“I have beer here. You didn’t have to bring any,” she said, reaching to transfer the food from him.
“I thought I finished it off over the weekend.”
“You did, but I restocked. I’ll always have it here, no worries. Unless you want something special or different. But let me know either way. I know you and Alec like drinking different things too.”
She stopped talking and watched him unload all the food on her coffee table. “What are you doing?”
He turned, looked at her and said softly, “I thought we’d eat in here.”
“That’d be nice.” She took the remaining beer from him, went to the kitchen to put it away, then returned with a bottle of water for her and an empty glass for him with the bottle opener.
When she went to sit on the couch, he instead grabbed her hand and pulled her to the floor, the thumping in her heart turning into a full-fledged gallop of horses down the track. She followed his lead, sat beside him on the floor, then grabbed her chopsticks and a carton at random.
It was like that first night all those years ago. Every time she went to grab another carton, he reached for the same. They were laughing more and teasing each other. Only it was different for her. Maybe it was different for him. She couldn’t tell.
She wasn’t even sure he remembered that night so long ago. Though, it seemed so if his actions tonight were any indication, but he hadn’t mentioned anything.
He set his chopsticks down, took a final drink of his beer, and turned to look at her. He was so handsome. A little rough around the edges, not polished and put together like the men she was used to.
His hair was falling over his forehead, his shirt slightly wrinkled and rolled up at the sleeves. His jeans had more years on them than she could imagine, distressed and worn in more places than others. And, in her eyes, he was flawless.
“What are you looking at?” he asked curiously.
“You.”
“I see that. But what has brought that soft look into your eyes?”
She felt foolish telling him what she was thinking. He would think she was fanciful. She never had shown that side of herself to anyone before. “Just remembering.”
He stretched his hand out, caressed her jaw, inched in and kissed her lips tenderly. “Remembering another night on the floor around a coffee table?”
Slowly lifting her eyes to his, she nodded once and held his stare, those dark eyes of his penetrating right through her.
“I wanted to do this back then, but couldn’t. I beat myself up for months for even having those thoughts,” he confessed, his eyes moving over her face, watching her reaction.
“I’m sure you did. I tried to tell myself it was nothing, just a moment in time. A nice evening with a friend, a little wine, conversation and food. But it wasn’t. Not then, and not now.”
“No, it wasn’t. And tonight I’m going to do everything I wanted to do back then and couldn’t. Wouldn’t even allow myself to fully think about.” He grasped her shirt at the waist, then pulled it up and over her head, tossing it to the floor next to them. “This is real now. I don’t have to imagine it anymore. I can do it and not feel guilty about it.”
“No, no guilt, not for either of us,” she replied, lifting her hands and unbuttoning his shirt one button at a time, pushing it off his shoulders and tossing it next to hers.
He reached in his back pocket, pulled out his wallet and tossed it on the table next to the empty cartons of food, then moved his hands to her shoulder. Tracing her collarbone, dragging his finger ever so slowly around the top of her bra, over each breast, circling her nipples, then down her waist and back up again. “I love your curves. I love every part of your body.”
“Why don’t you show me how much you love it?” she said, challenging him. She knew he would, actually counted on it.
“My pleasure.” He pulled her close, covered her mouth with his, coaxed it open and slid inside to taste her.
Slowly at first, like the first sip, then a taste, then they moved on to gorging. She couldn’t get enough of him and knew the feeling was mutual. His hands came around to her back, gliding up under the clasp of her bra. He released it, dragging it off her body, then tossed it aside.
He shifted back, put his hands on her hips and lifted her to her knees. Then he tackled the button on her trousers, pushed them down and helped her wiggle out of them. Left only in her thong, she moved forward and helped him out of his jeans, then his boxer briefs.
She gave him a little shove—gently, but with enough force to tease—sending him on his back. Slithering over the top of him, she kissed his neck, his chest, his abs and more. She wanted to taste every part of his body.
But he stopped her by sliding his hands into her hair. He pulled her up for another kiss, adjusting her body on top of his, and held her tight. She lost all thoughts of the fact they were on a throw rug over her hardwood floors and that he couldn’t be very comfortable on his back. He didn’t seem to mind and only continued to kiss her like there was nothing else he would rather do.
His hands wandered down farther, over her hips, hooking his thumbs in the edge of her thong and pushing it down and out of the way. She managed to twist out of it without too much trouble—and without leaving his lips.
Bringing her legs forward, she came to her knees, placed her hands on his chest and pushed off, straddling him. Looking down at the desire in his eyes, those same eyes that were roaming over her body with untold secrets of what might come.
Reaching for his wallet, she realized she had no clue where he kept the condom and handed it over. He pulled it out and gave it to her, then tossed his wallet back on the table.
With determination in her eyes, she opened the packet
, scooted down and slowly rolled it over him, stroking him on the way down and more on the way up. Touching every part of him, loving the feel of his body in her hands. Wanting to feel it inside of her.
Rising on her knees, she hovered over him, then slid down slowly, savoring the stroke of him. The fullness, the heat, the pressure and pleasure. All mixing together, bringing her to a level of ecstasy so soon and so fast.
Once he was fully embedded, she ran her hands up his chest, watching his muscles jerk and twitch with each caress. “You do something to me, Phil. Something I never thought I would ever feel, or ever have felt before.”
His hands went to her hips, urging her to move. She squeezed him tight with her inner muscles. His eyes went wide and she smiled triumphantly, then did it again, only this time rising up while she squeezed. His breath caught and she felt powerful. So powerful to have this control over him.
When his hands went to her breasts to play with her, squeeze her, pinch her—even a bit aggressively—she didn’t care. All she cared about was the man she was riding, the pleasure she was feeling, and his body bringing her to the point of no return. A point she very rarely achieved without some other help.
She couldn’t stop herself. She wanted to see if she could get there on her own, and increased her speed, holding his hands in place over her breasts. She didn’t dare let him move them. She didn’t want to stop anything she was feeling right now. Didn’t want to risk it going away and having to start over.
Her breath was coming in short gasps. She was fighting to keep her eyes open, but she managed it. She wanted to watch his face, watch every movement of his body, every expression he had while she brought them to the end.
“That’s it, baby,” he said softly. “Don’t stop. Keep going.” She did, she moved faster, hurriedly, almost clumsily and didn’t care. His own hips were rushing up to meet hers now. She was there, right there, so close, but she couldn’t make it.
Trying not to get frustrated, she squeezed him inside of her again, he groaned, moved his hips up faster, squeezed her breasts tighter, not even aware of the edge of pain he was causing. But it didn’t matter, because the floodgates finally opened and her body sang right along with his.
She collapsed on top of him, then lay there panting for a minute. He gave her a quick kiss on the lips and nudged her to roll off him. Then he stood up and walked naked to the bathroom. Her eyes roamed over his bare backside—he really was perfection.
***
Phil came back a moment later and saw Sophia laying on the floor, on her side, her elbow bent, head perched in her hand, watching him walk across the floor. She was still naked and looked to not have a care in the world. It suited him fine.
He stood in front of her, reached his hand down for hers and pulled her up, then laid on the couch, arranging her on top of him. Tucking her head under his chin, he stroked his hands up and down her back, content to stay like this…forever.
“Did you really want to do that back then?” she asked.
He chuckled. “Well, maybe not like what we just did. But I’m not complaining.”
“Sorry, did you want to have control just now?”
He felt her lips twitch against his chest, and placed a kiss on her forehead. “Next time. This worked for me. Where did you learn to do that?”
Snorting, she said, “Oh, it worked fine for me too. And a woman never gives away her secrets.”
“Understood. Feel free to take control anytime you want.”
She chuckled lightly. “I may do that. It was a nice experience for me.”
“How’s that?”
She shrugged. He felt her eyes closing a second, then opening back up—the brush of her eyelashes on his chest. “It’s nothing.”
“Sophia, tell me.” When she held her silence, he pushed more. “Don’t be afraid to tell me things.”
“I’m not afraid.”
“Then don’t be embarrassed.”
“Who says it’s embarrassing?” she asked, leaning up and placing her chin in her hands.
“Then why aren’t you answering my question?”
She shrugged again, then waited a second and answered. “I’ve never really gotten a lot of enjoyment out of sex before.” It didn’t look that way to him, but he held his tongue and let her finish. “Sorry. Let me correct that. Sex is always enjoyable, but I never seemed to be able to get to the end, if you know what I mean. Not without a lot of help. But it’s not like that with you. And actually that was the first time ever without any…stimulation below.”
He wasn’t sure what to say. Pleased for sure. Pleased that he brought her to that level, and that she felt comfortable enough to tell him. “Maybe you were never with the right person before?”
“Maybe not.” Her green eyes warmed, then glowed bright. She moved up his body, placed her lips over his and held them there. “Phil, you do something to me. And it’s scary.”
“Yeah, I know the feeling.”
Interference
Five days later Phil turned his head at the knock on his office door to see Alec standing there. “Got a second?”
“Sure.” Phil swiveled his chair around and watched as his brother shut the door and went to sit in the chair in the corner. “What’s up?”
“Not much.”
Phil frowned. “Then why did you shut the door?” Alec sighed. Phil knew that look. “Who sent you in here to talk to me?”
Grinning, Alec said, “Mom.”
“And?” he asked when Alec didn’t say any more.
Instead, Alec said, “You look good.”
Shaking his head, Phil decided to let Alec have his way. No use rushing the conversation. Alec would say what he had to when he was good and ready. No amount of beating on each other as kids could get him to talk before he wanted to, and that hadn’t changed as adults. “Is that a backhanded compliment for yourself?”
Alec grinned and replied, “Hardly. I always look good. You, on the other hand, not so much.” He paused and looked more thoughtful. “But lately, you do look good.”
“Just spill it, Alec. I don’t have a lot of time, and neither do you. We’re both swamped right now. What is it that Mom wants you to ask me?”
Alec stood up and walked over to the window and looked out at the traffic, dragging it out again. “Mom wanted to know why Sophia wasn’t at dinner on Sunday.”
That was what this was about? It didn’t occur to him his parents were going to be questioning everything between him and Sophia. They never bothered with him and Linda before. “She had plans. What’s the big deal?”
“I don’t know. You know how Mom gets.”
“Yeah, I do. We’ve only been together a few weeks. I don’t think we are at the stage where Mom should expect Sophia over every Sunday for dinner.”
Alec turned, looked at Phil—looked through him—like he always did. “I think this is a different situation and you know it.”
Shrugging, Phil said, “It may be. But I’m taking it slow. Slow and steady wins the race.” He was trying to joke with Alec. Trying to keep it light. He wasn’t ready to start talking seriously about his relationship with Sophia. He was still unsure of himself right now.
“Slow and steady didn’t work out so well for you last time, did it?”
“That was a low blow,” Phil said, his tone more clipped than normal.
Alec held his hands up. “You’re right, it was. Sorry. I’m just the messenger.”
Phil tipped back in his chair, placing his hands behind his head. “Alec, I need space with Sophia. I don’t need anyone hovering over us. Like you said, this is different. For both of us. I don’t want anyone’s interference to make things awkward.”
“Understood. And I will find a way to deliver the message back to Mom.”
“Thanks.”
Alec walked to the door, stopped and turned back. “I wasn’t lying when I said you looked good, Phil. She’s good for you.”
“Yeah, she is. And I want to be good for her.”
“Do you think you aren’t?”
“No. Maybe. I don’t know. And that’s the problem. Too much has happened over the years. I don’t trust myself.”
“Don’t,” Alec said, angrily. “Don’t you dare compare Linda to Sophia. Ever. I don’t know what happened between you and Linda, and I don’t know if you will ever tell me. But I will interfere if I think that you are measuring Sophia to what you had with Linda.”
Phil was taken back. Alec rarely got angry, and never like this. Not this cold look in his eyes, a look that was more often seen from Ben. “I’m not measuring the two of them. I’m measuring myself.”
“Don’t do that either.” Alec opened the door and walked out.
Phil sat back and thought. Alec was right, he shouldn’t be comparing the two relationships, but he couldn’t help it. Linda had messed with his head so much. The back and forth drama, the emotional outbursts and the lies. He hadn’t known what the truth was anymore, and still didn’t know if the whole relationship had been a lie. If she’d really loved him and wanted him or if it had all been a part of the plan for an easy life for her.
Linda had always talked about wanting a family and staying home to raise them. Always had these grand ideas. Ideas that hadn’t even crossed his mind and had smothered him at the time.
He didn’t want to believe that Sophia had even a glimmer of what Linda did or thought. He knew she didn’t, but the doubts were there. He was going to have to come to terms with himself before he could fully commit to Sophia. Because he wanted to, and he hoped she did too.
It was too early to tell. He wasn’t lying when he told Alec he didn’t want any interference. It had only been a few weeks. He didn’t know what his family wanted from him. It had been nine months since he ended things with Linda, and he was ready to move on. But not as fast as they wanted him to.
Not to the point he was ready to jump into a serious relationship.
He’d never liked being around people all that much. He needed his space and enjoyed it these last months, being single. Not that he didn’t enjoy the time with Sophia, because he did. More than anything. Which could be part of the problem.