By the time he’d opened it, she was already at his belt, her fingers meticulously working on opening the belt. His pants fell in a pool of material and he easily stepped away from it, his manhood proudly displayed. He chuckled when he took her in, and was about to move and undress her, but she stopped him.
“Just sit,” she instructed, her voice low and seductive. His eyes went wide with lust only at the sound of that.
Although she hadn’t expected it, he still followed her instructions. He sat down on the armchair, his teeth digging into his lower lip. Slowly, she came to stand in front of him, her hand on the strap of her dress. Her eyes were set on his, confidently daring him to watch.
She slowly undressed, her palm caressing every inch of her skin as she slid down the red material of the dress, her chocolate skin radiating beneath the light. She smiled the moment she threw the dress away. The heels she was wearing added to her height, they made her legs look longer, accentuating the muscles of her calves.
Her panties were the only thing that remained. She hooked her fingers into them, and yanked them off without as much as a blink. She heard him groan. When he was about to move and grab onto her, she shook her head, her hair sliding over her shoulders.
With steady and elegant steps, she approached him, smirking at how excited he was. Her hand extended to touch him, her fingers grabbing onto him, making him moan. She wondered if she should play first, but then decided against it. Sometimes, jumping right into action was far more fun.
His hands grabbed onto her ass as she placed one leg on each side of him. She felt him squeeze, and she threw her head back. His mouth attacked one of her breasts, his teeth already nibbling at her nipple.
With the waves of pleasure coming from her chest, she lowered herself onto him, the tip of his manhood already making her gasp. She felt every inch of him go in, her body getting used to the feeling of him inside. She gasped and pulled his head closer, burying his head into her chest. Soon, she started rocking onto him, their bodies moving in sync, as if dancing. That had been the first time they made love that night. It had been among the many rounds they decided to use to consume the confused feelings they shared for one another.
While neither of them had the words to express how they felt. Their bodies said it all. They confessed on their own and spoke on their own, hoping that one day, their brains would join in.
Chapter 9
The sound of Jonathan’s phone was distant, an echo in his sleeping mind. At first, Jonathan tried to convince himself that it was all in his head, that the sound was all a part of an annoying dream. When the sound first vanished, he smiled and sank deeper into his bed, wrapping his arms tighter around the naked body beside him. He’d nearly fallen back into the oblivious darkness of unconsciousness when the sound once again appeared, truly waking him up. Sophie stirred beside him, but didn’t wake up.
Groaning, he reached for it, struggling to open his eyes. Malcolm’s name flashed across his screen, creating a weird sense of deja vu. The last time he’d woken up to one of his calls Jonathan had gotten married. A fact that slightly made him panic.
Slowly, he slipped out of bed and tiptoed out of the room, but not before throwing a gaze at the clock. It was damn early, so why was he calling him?
“Hello?” His voice was husky, still heavy with sleep. Jonathan struggled to slip into the pants he retrieved on his way out of the room, nearly tripping in the process.
“News is out.” If there was one thing Jonathan hated about his secretary it was that the man was not a man of words. He always said things in so little words, even when the topic required details, much like the one they were currently trying to discuss.
“What news? Malcolm, it’s early, my brain is barely functioning, you have to use way more words for me to understand,” he groaned, as he leaned over the armchair, his hand combing through his hair.
“That Elvis that got you married, he made a statement that Sophie and you got married while drunk. He even mentioned you didn’t even know each other's family names.” Jonathan had been too drunk to remember that detail, but he could imagine that was the case.
Jonathan pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. He was now wide awake, his mind in chaos.
“Did he bring out any proof,” Jonathan asked. He feared that there were videos or images that could truly prove what had happened. If that was the case, Jonathan doubted there was any way he could solve things.
“Not that I know of. But what he said was enough to cause speculations. People are doubting your relationship.”
“So it’s not settled yet. All we have to do is gain their trust again? Make them see it’s all true?” he asked.
“Well–yes. The news about you marrying secretly out of love had a positive impact on the stocks. It made people talk about you.” He could imagine Malcolm shrugging, the glasses he usually wore slightly sliding off the bridge of his nose.
“Good. Then organize a press conference for this afternoon. Sophie will attend too.”
“Should I inform your mother too?”
“No. I’d rather deal with it without having her nag.” Jonathan exhaled. “By the way, do you have any idea why that Elvis dude decided to talk?”
“I could only guess someone paid him. I doubt it was the press through. They would have done that weeks ago if that was the case.”
Jonathan sighed and thanked the man before hanging up. He hadn’t noticed, but apparently Sophie had woken up too. She was wearing his shirt, the loose material barely reaching mid-thigh. She looked as ravishing as ever, with her long legs and messed up hair. She looked tired, her feet still bruised and wounded from the great performance she’d put on the night before. He wished he could have sent her back to sleep, he would have even had the courage to cuddle with her until later. But for the time being, he didn’t have that leisure.
“What’s going on?” she asked, her voice deep and ruffled.
“Malcolm called. Apparently the guy that married us told the press the truth.” He sighed. Sophie gasped and covered her mouth with her hand.
“Nina. I met her when we went to shop for the wedding gown. She said she would find out something. I should have listened,” Sophie began. “What are we going to do now? Your position will be threatened again. The price of your stocks just started to increase.” He could tell she would have gladly gone on. Sophie had this cute habit of jabbering whenever she got nervous. Slowly, he got up, his body reacting before his mind even realized what he was doing–like it always did when it came to Sophie.
His hands cupped his face, his lips landing on hers, silencing her. She was shocked, he could tell by the way her body tensed under his touch. Shocked as she was, she still kissed him back. Her lips moved against his, slowly and lazily. Her hands held onto his. The kiss had been short, but just the thing he needed to calm his own nerves.
“I already thought of a solution,” he whispered as he rested his forehead on hers, their eyes locked. “Malcolm will arrange a press conference. We’ll tell everyone that the guy is running a scam.
We’ll even announce our wedding date. That should help cool things down.”
“Do you really think this will work?” she asked, her wide green eyes looking at him, seeking safety.
In all honesty, Jonathan wasn’t sure. He was only acting according to instinct, making plans and hoping the universe would be on his side this time around. But it was worth a try. Now that things were finally starting to work out, he had more faith. He trusted himself and his ideas. Everything he had planned was slowly working, why wouldn’t this?
“Yes. How about you go get changed. We’ll meet with Malcolm at the office. You can help him organize the conference while I talk to the board members–I’m sure they’ve already gone mad.”
Sophie nodded and disappeared into the bedroom while he went on to make some coffee.
*****
Sophie sat in one of the chairs by the table, her eyes set on the rows of chairs in front of her.
They were all currently waiting, but she knew that would not be for long. People were running all over the room, trying to put everything in place. Malcolm’s voice being their guide in the process. She had helped in the beginning, but soon gave up. Everyone seemed to know far more about what they were doing. She didn’t need to look at her watch to know that time was almost up. Soon, the journalists would be sent in and questions would flood them. What she also knew what that after today, her marriage to Jonathan would be official. Everyone would get a frontrow seat to her life. She was ready for that, it wasn’t like she’d chosen a life in the shadows. It was just that she as anxious.
She wondered where Jonathan was. He was supposed to be there already. Was the board meeting that long? Were they questioning his capability again? She wished she knew or that she could do something about it. But there was so little power in her hands when it came to the matter.
“You don’t need to be nervous, Mr. Hunter will take care of everything.” She hadn’t noticed, but Malcolm was behind her now, one of those flower arrangements in hand.
“I just don’t want him to struggle again. He just got a hold of things. He didn’t sleep for days trying to put together the advertisement schedule,” she said, although he probably already knew.
Malcolm smiled at her, the type of fatherly smile that encouraged you.
“There he is,” his answer was, his head pointing towards the open double doors.
Without much of a thought, Sophie stood up, her feet taking her off of the mini-stage and towards him. She was about to say something, but before she even got to the point of greeting him, someone else appeared behind him.
The man was tall, with black hair and olive skin. He seemed older, but not by too much. At first, he had been oblivious to her presence, his eyes wandering from corner to corner, as if studying the area. Sophie looked at Jonathan with a puzzled look, her brows furrowed, silently asking for an explanation.
“Sophie, meet Ethan, my uncle.” And then it hit her. Why the man looked familiar, the same smooth traces that seemed to run in the Hunter family.
“I’m Sophie. I’m really glad I finally get to meet you.” Ethan smiled and shook her hand.
“He came earlier to surprise us.”
“Please, I didn’t come to surprise you. I just felt you were in some kind of trouble.” The man scoffed, making Sophie chuckle. “Not that there is a time when you’re not.”
Sophie remembered Jonathan explaining how his uncle and cousin could see right through him. How he enjoyed their presence. She could now see why. His uncle had the same playful aura as him, the boyish grin Jonathan proudly exhibited rested on his uncle’s lips too. Only that it did not have the same exhilarating effect on her. While Jonathan’s smile made her forget how to breathe, Ethan’s made her smile and laugh.
“I told Sebastian he shouldn’t wait till next week. Too bad Aline’s bakery opening is tomorrow.” The man pursed his lips, as he shoved his hands into his front pockets.
“Just shush it. I don’t need your babysitting,” Jonathan scoffed.
“Sophie, just how exactly do you put up with him?” Ethan sighed.
“I’ll admit. He’s a handful.” She chuckled while Jonathan eyed her deadly.
“Oh come here you idiot! Show uncle Ethan some love!” he mocked, as he engulfed Jonathan in a hug.
The sound of their laughter was short-lived, Malcolm’s voice interfering, announcing that they were only a minute away from welcoming the press in. Ethan smiled in encouragement, loosening his grip on Jonathan. The man took a deep breath and then looked at the two of them.
“Listen, you just have to play your part. Just try to act genuine, don’t deviate too much from the truth. Don’t directly refer to the things said in the press. The reports will find a way to make them look like lame excuses. Just talk about your love, why you kept it a secret and how your wedding will be the most magical day of your life.” Ethan reminded her of her producer before show day. He made it all seem so simple, her nerves almost vanishing–almost.
Sophie thanked the man and walked towards the table in the front. She smoothed out the edges of her yellow shorts, before running a hand over his tuxedo. She wished she would have had the idea of readjusting her makeup. But she had been so out of it, the idea only popping into her head as she sat at the table. Unconsciously, she ran a hand through her locks, trying to get rid of any frizz. Yes, Sophie was used to being in front of a crowd. But that crowd was usually there to judge her dancing not her hair. And while Sophie trusted her talent and hard work, her self-esteem dropped drastically when it came to her appearance and presentability.
“You look fine. Stop worrying. I’m here!” Jonathan whispered, placing a hand over hers.
Sophie’s heart skipped a beat at that moment. She looked at him through her lashes. She knew he was there, in fact, it was the only thing stopping her from being a nervous wreck. Sophie had never trusted someone that much. She had friends, had had a few boyfriends in the past, but no one ever made her feel that safe. Funny thing life was, it made her put all her faith in a man that she wasn’t even sure wanted her beyond the contract.
In that very same instant, people started entering. Men with cameras, holding recorders and microphones. Women in suits, ready to take part in what seemed to be one of the greatest news that day. Sophie took in a deep breath and put on a smile.
She tried to imagine herself on stage. This was nothing more than a performance. She had never failed at a performance before, why would she now. Yes, thoughts like that gave her courage. She had also gone over the things that needed to be said, so there was no need to worry about
that.
It took the reporters a few minutes to settle in, the room ablaze of whispers and chattering. It wasn’t until Jonathan tapped on his microphone and thanked everyone for coming that the room went silent, everyone’s eyes now on them.
“As most of you might already know, I called this press conference, because some false speculations have been going around. I’m not here to make anyone believe that my love for this woman is true, nor am I here to make excuses and tell you all that those speculations are a lie.
I’m here to simply tell you our story, and let you decide from there.
I know I am not obliged to do that. But as the face and owner of Hunter Hotels and Casinos, I have to clear out any misunderstandings, for both my sake and my wife’s.”Jonathan’s voice was booming, clear and powerful. He did not even stutter once, his gaze straight, his head high. She could tell he was born to lead. Everyone in the room nodded. Flashlights erupted through the room, people took notes hastily, while others shoved their recorders further in front.
“It is true, Sophie and I didn’t meet years ago. We’ve only known one another for a short amount of time, but it was enough to let us both know that we were made for one another.” Sophie wondered if Jonathan would ever come to regret his fake confession. One day, they would break up, it was plain and clear in shades of black and white. And when the day came, he would have to swallow all those great but wonderful words he had said.
“We got married, as you all may know, in a rather nontraditional way. But who can blame us? I may be a public figure, but I have the right to act as I please. I wanted our first wedding to be private, fun, the way all people our age want. It also happened shortly after my father’s death, in the midst of a chairman transition, when my company was facing grave dangers. So yes, all those were reasons for us to keep our relationship private.”
“But, Mr. Hunter. What about the Elvis Impersonator?” A voice came from the crowd.
“People like that could do anything for money. Let’s not forget that.” His answer had been plain, just the way Ethan had suggested, but loud enough to make it clear that everything he had said were lies.
“What about Mrs. Hunter? What do you have to say about all this?” And suddenly, all eyes were on her. She gulped, her lips parting.
She felt Jonathan’s hand on hers, silentl
y encouraging her. Slowly, she took in a deep breath, random words playing in her head, everything she had rehearsed earlier now a blur in her mind. She thought about what Ethan had said, about sticking to the truth. So, she looked deep into her heart, reflecting on all those mixed feelings and emotions she had been bottling up.
“We all know relationships aren’t easy. While other people are allowed to go out and experience this aspect of life freely, people like us are kept accountable for getting married. You want us to explain to you how and why we got married, how we came to know each other, and what we plan to do from now on. You want to know all these details when we don’t even understand them ourselves.” She took in a deep breath, her mouth dry, “Yes, we got married a bit too early, maybe at the wrong time. But that was the way it happened. Why would people judge us? Some couples never get married, others divorce days after, we are all free to do as we please. I have nothing more to add to what Jonathan has said, I confirm every word he uttered and back it up. I just need to ask for some privacy. Our life, our relationship is ours to discover and live. We are aware that we are public persons now, so we will not leave you all hanging. You will have your news.” She trailed off, her gaze seeking Jonathan’s.
“In fact, Jonathan and I have an announcement right now.” She smiled, right before Jonathan took charge.
“We have started preparations for a traditional wedding. Our invitations have already been sent to all our partners, families and friends. The wedding will take place two weeks from today. It will be a public ceremony, worthy of the Hunter name.” Jonathan’s lips curled. “Thank you all for coming. This is all we have to say for the day. I do hope we cleared up all misunderstandings.”
With that, Jonathan stood up, taking her with him. They walked towards the backdoor, hand in hand, as another wave of chatter erupted. New questions were being thrown their way, although they had made it pretty clear they would not be answering more. Malcolm stayed behind, to quiet the crowd and see them out.
Jonathan closed the door to the adjacent room, his back leaning against it. The room was empty, perfect for them to recover from the rush of adrenaline and nerves. Once inside, Sophie let out a laugh, her hands resting on her weak knees. Jonathan smiled too, his eyes on her.
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