“No, go ahead, tell me what you meant,” Tony demanded in a hard voice.
“I just…well, in my experience black folk don’t get to be given such chances to prove themselves. I don’t mean to get on the racism soapbox or anything. I’ve just never heard of a black person being hired because they have a ‘trustworthy face’.” Sophie tried to make her voice matter of fact, but judging from how Tony’s face closed she guessed she hadn’t been too successful.
“I’m sorry about that, but it’s hardly my fault,” he said.
“No, of course not. And I wasn’t trying to say that it was or that you shouldn’t have gotten the opportunity you did.”
“So what were you trying to say?”
Sophie opened her mouth, then closed it helplessly, “Never mind,” she said at last, “Let me check on my granddad. He’s been in the wind for a long time.”
“Okay,” Tony replied, turning his face away.
‘Wow, did we just have our first fight?’ Sophie thought with bemusement as she walked away, ‘That was fast Devereaux, even for you.’
“Grandpa, are you okay?” she asked as she came up to him.
“I’m fine. The air is very clear around here,” he said.
“It damn well should be. Not that many people to breathe it are there?” she replied wryly leaning against the rail next to him.
“I guess not. You okay Sophie?” He asked straightening up to stare at her.
“I’m great. Just had my first fight…I think,” she grimaced.
“The first one is the hardest, after that it gets easier,” Elijah said with a reminiscent smile.
“Assuming there will be a next time,” Sophie replied sadly.
“I’ve seen how he looks at you. There definitely will be,” Elijah promised.
“Forgive me,” A voice said from behind her. She turned around in shock to see Tony behind her looking contrite. She stared at him and he stared back at her.
“Err, I’ll just go get a cup of coffee,” Elijah said as he edged away from them grinning.
“I’m sorry too. I didn’t mean to...” Sophie began.
“No, I was too sensitive. My father, he tends to put me down for my achievements and I guess I was transferring emotions to you. I get it, what you were saying. I’m sorry I took it personally.”
“I’m sorry your dad’s a dick. And I’m sure you worked hard for everything you have. I didn’t mean to imply otherwise.”
“Don’t call my dad names,” he said, but in a friendly way, “and thanks.”
“Sorry. I can’t seem to open my mouth without putting my foot in it. Bear with me?” Sophie said face falling and making Tony laugh.
“You just tell the truth. People get mad at that. I guess we’ll just have to get over it, right?”
Sophie stared at him for a long time eyes wide and shiny with unshed tears. Then she lunged forward into his arms and locked her lips with his. Tony froze, but just for a moment and then he wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. Sophie’s arms went up and she grasped his head with her hands, holding it in place as her tongue explored his mouth. He let her do as she pleased with him, only starting slightly when she bit his lip. His arms drifted downward, catching hold of her ass and squeezing them with such force she could feel the hard outline of his penis pressing against her navel. His fingers kneading her cheeks were making her insides turn to water and his tongue collided with hers doing a delicate dance and making her forget that they were out in the open. She wanted to pull him down on the windy deck and have her way with him, but he staggered away from her clutching the railing with both hands.
“Wow,” he whispered.
“Tell me about it,” she whispered back, holding the railing as well so as not to jump his bones right there and then.
He looked around the empty deck, breathing hard. “Where is everybody when you need them?” he asked no-one in particular.
“Probably below decks, getting away from this wind huddled around their coffee cups,” Sophie replied dazedly.
“Right,” Tony whispered, bending over double to hide his erection from her. She smiled at the sight, but walked slowly away, even though it hurt her, so as to give him some time to recover.
*****
The Sorrenti Bed and Breakfast was a picturesque old two-storey house set in a field of grass, overlooking the sea. They were greeted at the door by a fat pleasant lady in a pink apron who handed out hot apple cider as a doorman carried their luggage up to their rooms. Sophie and her grandfather had adjoining suites on the second floor. For a moment, Sophie worried that Tony expected to share with her, but he did not come up with them, instead informing her that he had his own room in the staff quarters downstairs.
“Seriously, you sleep in the dorms with the cook?” she had asked with amusement.
“Well, if the dorm is good enough for my cook it should be good enough for me right? Why should I expect my staff to sleep somewhere I wouldn’t want to sleep?” he had replied seriously.
“Damn. I really need you to start displaying some vices now Tony,” she teased making him laugh out loud.
“I’m a serial killer on my days off,” he said grinning.
“I like Dexter,” she joked back.
“Of course you do.”
“See you later?”
“Count on it.”
*****
She stared out of her window at the water, watching the waves undulate slowly back and forth and at the people in the boats and yachts that dotted the bay. It was a peaceful scene, with the empty beach stretching before her. She figured it was probably too cold for anyone to be larking about in the sand. God knows she just wanted to burrow in her warm looking bed with a hot cup of something and maybe catch up on her reading. Just as she thought this the phone rang, startling her.
“Hello,” she answered cautiously, wondering who could possibly be calling her here.
“Hey. Want to go for a walk?” Tony’s voice came down the line.
“Now?”
“Yes.”
“I don’t know it’s kind of cold out. My Granddad should probably stay in.”
“That’s why I’m not asking him; I’m asking you.”
“Hmm. Funny. Can’t we do something more warm and toasty? Like maybe coffee and toast in front of a fire?”
“We could. And we will. But I wanna show you something first. Pretty please come with me?”
Sophie sighed deeply in resignation.
“Wonderful, meet me in the lobby. Dress warm,” Tony said happily and hung up.
“Yeah, no shit,” Sophie said and turned to pick up her coat and wear her boots.
She was about to leave when the wind rattled against the windows. She turned back and extracted a woollen hat from the closet and pulled it as far down over her hair and face as she could.
“Are we going for a walk or to rob a bank?” Tony asked her in amusement when he saw her covered visage.
“Ha ha.” Sophie said, sweeping past him without stopping and heading out the front door. He turned quickly and followed her running a bit to catch up. He reached for her hand and grasped it in both of his, rubbing it to keep her warm.
“I know it's cold, but you gotta admit it’s beautiful too isn’t it?” Tony said staring out at the cloudy sky.
“Ye,s it’s beautiful. But I can see that just as well from my window,” Sophie replied ,making him laugh.
“When I first met you, I didn’t take you for much of a laugher. You were always so solemn.” Sophie admitted.
“That’s true. I don’t think I’ve laughed so much since…” his voice trailed off and the smile slid off his face.
“Since what?” Sophie asked, not one to let these things slide.
“Since…my mother died,” Tony told her with a glance at her that was more eloquent than words. Then he took a deep breath and visibly pulled himself together.
“I’ve told you a hell of a lot of things about me and you haven’t said a word
about yourself. It’s your turn now.”
“What would you like to know?” she asked, heart sinking at the thought of telling him all about her family tragedies. But he was right; he had been forthright about himself. She needed to do the same, so she braced herself for his questions.
“Do you like me?” Tony asked.
“What?”
“I want to know, do you like me?”
“I brought my grandfather on a romantic getaway with us, what do you think?”
“You might just have wanted to get him out of town for the weekend on the cheap.”
“Is that what you really think?”
“I don’t know. I didn’t but since you’re avoiding my question…”
“I like you okay?”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“Good. I like you too. A lot.”
“Good to know. Anything else you’d like to know.”
“I’d like to know anything you care to tell me Sophie. But I won’t make you tell me.”
Sophie stared at him feeling checkmated. He wouldn’t ask questions, but he wanted to know about her? That had to be cheating.
“Okay then, I’ll tell you anything. Just ask me a question.”
“Fine. Let’s get the difficult questions out of the way. Where are your parents?”
“Those are the difficult questions?”
“Well, seeing how close you are to your grandfather, I assume that something bad must have happened to your parents for them not to be here with you.”
“You’re not wrong there.”
“So what happened?”
“My mother was a witch,” Sophie began, looking down at her booted toes and then up at him.
“For real?” He asked her wide eyed.
“No. But she ran a store in New Orleans that sold all sorts of charms and amulets. Mostly aimed at the tourists you understand,” she told him looking at his face to see how he would take this.
“Uh huh?” he said, looking interested.
“Yeah, so one day this guy walks into her store and points a gun at her. He tells her that she needs to lift the curse she put on him or he’ll kill her.” Sophie paused to swallow the lump that had formed in her throat. Tony’s hand reached out and touched hers briefly before enveloping her hand and squeezing tight.
“My mother made a sound of fear – not a scream, just a whimper maybe. But it was enough. My father heard her from the back of the shop so he came rushing out and scared the gunman. He turned and pointed the gun at my father and pulled the trigger. My mother screamed and lunged at him trying to grab the gun out of his hand. They struggled together and the man shot her in the stomach. She took three long, painful days to die. My father had been shot in the head; he survived but was in a coma for several years. Eventually though he slipped away.”
“I am so sorry,” Tony said, pulling her closer and enveloping her in a hug.
“Thank you,” she mumbled into his jacket. He let go of her stepping back and looking into her eyes.
“I lost my mother and brother in a car accident. I was driving. My father never forgave me,” he confessed.
“Wow. You win,” she whispered a lone tear escaping down her cheek.
He shook his head in negation, “No, I definitely don’t win. Did they ever catch him? The man who shot your parents?”
“Yes, they caught him. He pleaded insanity and now he’s locked up in an institution for the criminally insane.”
“That’s something at least isn’t it?”
“Not really.”
“No. I guess not.”
“How long ago did you have the accident?”
They had stopped walking by now and were standing below the pier watching the boats on the water to avoid looking at each other.
“Fifteen years ago. Just before I came to America.”
Sophie turned to look at him, wondering if she should ask.
“Was that why you came to America?” she said at last.
“Partly yeah.”
“What was the other part?”
“Russia was falling apart and my father wanted me to have a chance for a good education. So he sent me here to my uncle.”
“I’m glad he did,” Sophie said, smiling up at him. He stared back at her for a long time, then he said her name like an incantation.
“Sophie Devereaux”
“Yes, Tony Romanov?”
“I want to kiss you so bad right now.”
“What are you waiting for?”
Chapter 4
Tony slowly leaned forward and placed his lips gently on hers, but she wasn’t having any of his tentativeness today. She grabbed his head in her hands and slid her tongue into his mouth. That was all the encouragement he needed to grab hold of her behind and haul her in tight against him. Their mouths opened in a desperate attempt to get closer; the heat rose through Sophie's body and a feeling of desperation infected her blood. She wanted him now. Letting her knees fold the way they were asking to she bent them both so they sank to the ground. Tony was ready; she could feel his hardness pressing her down into the sand, his face flushed with feeling. He inched her legs apart and began to slide her dress and coat upward over her knee. The feel of his hand on her thigh was doing strange things to her insides. She felt herself liquefying with desire and wanted nothing more than for him to possess her – here and now. She reached her hand downward, fumbling with his belt. She had just gotten it loose when the lighthouse bell tolled, jerking them out of their lustful fug.
“Damn,” Sophie murmured as Tony straightened up and got off her.
“Yeah. My sentiments exactly,” Tony agreed.
They both stood up, staggering a bit with the remnant of their dizzy interlude. Tony reached for her hand and she gave it to him giving no resistance when he pulled her to him.
“I don’t want you to think that I’m just interested in your body,” he said before locking his lips with hers again and ramming his tongue down her throat. He pulled away just as suddenly.
“Because I’m not. I want every single part of you,” he continued before kissing her again.
He released her staring intently into her brown eyes, “Do you believe me?”
“Yes,” she assured him and then lunged forward to grind her lips into his rubbing her body against him, wanting to touch him wherever she could. He pushed her away and they both staggered again and almost fell.
“Will you come with me?” he said breathlessly.
“Yes,” she whispered back.
They half-walked, half-ran back to the house, Sophie made for the front door, but Tony pulled her to the side of the building. There was a small side door there and he fished the keys out of his pockets and fumbled with the lock, his hands shaking. The door opened onto a lighted corridor.
“The dorm rooms?” Sophie questioned.
“Yes,” Tony answered, pulling her head close to his to kiss her thoroughly.
They duck walked down the hall to the door at the end of it and Tony opened it with another key from his bunch. Sophie expected to see a bed and a chest of drawers, maybe a desk with a bible on it. Instead the room was big and luxurious. A huge four poster stood at the corner and an Ottoman on the other. There was an intricately patterned closet against one wall and a huge window facing the sea. Much to her surprise, Tony picked her up and walked with her in his arms to the bed.
“Wow, you’re even stronger than you look,” she murmured as he pulled her boots off.
“I like to show off for you,” he replied, throwing them on the ground and reaching for his belt. Sophie smiled at him as she eased her panties off. Her fingers had just started on the buttons of her dress when got his trousers off and climbed on top of her kissing her as if his life depended on it. Sophie’s hands were trapped between them and she could hardly move, but she barely minded. Tony’s hands travelled downward moving her dress out of the way and he pressed his entire body down on hers.
“Sophie,” he whi
spered, putting teeth on her ear and biting down gently. His breath wafted into her ear, making her shiver.
“Tony, don’t make me wait,” she pleaded.
“Don’t worry. I won’t,” he promised and drove himself into her. She screamed and moaned wrapping her legs around his torso and arching her back to give him greater access. He lifted his chest off her to give himself better leverage and free her hands to travel up and down his gleaming torso. As his hands burrowed under her to catch hold of her luscious behind she returned the favor reaching up to grab hold of his butt and urged him on by digging her long nails into him.
“Oh God Sophie,” he moaned.
She reached up and kissed him and he bit into her lip. Her teeth closed on his lower lip and she sucked gently as he rode her to completion. With a tiny moan she felt her release take her before she was blown away into darkness and joy.
“Sophie?” she heard him call her name from afar but was feeling way too weak to reply.
“Are you alright?” he whispered in her ear. She smiled, but did not answer or open her eyes.
“I’ll take that as a yes.” She could hear the smile in his voice as he said it and sighed deeply before falling into sleep.
Sophie came to, to find that Tony was still out cold. She took the chance to study his features. His ice blue eyes were hidden from view so she had time to study the rest of his face. She noticed that his blonde hair had a slight natural curl to it, it was damp with the sweat of their exertions and so the curl was more emphasized. She reached out and gently touched them, folding her fingers into them as she studied his face. His bottom lip was fatter than the top one and kind of stuck out giving him a pouting look. His skin was pale and his bones stood out under his skin, giving his face hard definition. His deep set eyes were overlaid by thick black brows arched as if in permanent query. He looked like a fourteen year old boy in repose, especially without the deep penetrating glances his eyes were wont to give. She moved her feet and felt the slipperiness between her legs.
Her hand travelled downward and she touched the wetness there remembering his powerful release; the way he had moaned in her arms. Then she sat up in shock realizing what the wetness between her legs meant.
The Billionaire's Big Beautiful Bride (BWWM Romance Book 1) Page 15