AFTER RETURNING FROM Virginia Wednesday afternoon, Brett and Sophie stopped at her apartment to pick up a few things for the next couple of nights before heading over to Brett’s. Usually when she returned home she flopped on the couch and called Grace, happy to regain her footing in her own space. But this time she couldn’t wait to submerge herself in Brett’s world, although as he opened his front door, butterflies swarmed in her belly.
The scent of leather and something spicy greeted them. Sophie’s gaze swept over the rich, hardwood floors and rough brick walls, brown leather couches that sat low to the floor, and an enormous granite coffee table. Around the perimeter of the living room, several heavy floor lamps had metal casings that looked like scaffolding, interesting wooden bases, and spotlight housings. Spotlight-type sconces were placed along the far wall, where a metal staircase ran up to a second story. A black leather armchair and ottoman sat beneath a tangle of lights in a corner by one of the nearly floor-to-ceiling windows. Beside it, a wooden crate with heavy metal clasps was home to a few workout magazines.
“Why am I so nervous?” she asked as Brett dropped their bags by the door. She saw the kitchen through an archway in the brick wall, all clean lines and lighted cabinets. Several potted plants sat atop one of the expansive counters beside a bank of windows. The kitchen looked as big as her apartment.
He put his arm around her, nuzzling against her neck, and said, “Because you know I want to do dirty things to you on every surface.”
“Nope. I counted on that, though.” She pressed her lips to his, then glanced around the room. Every piece of furniture, even the walls and floors, appeared substantial and elegant, yet subdued, not showy. His home wasn’t intimidating or terribly inviting, and she wondered if that was because he had been so unsettled his whole life. She had the sense that he lived here, but he’d never put down roots and made it his home.
“Then why are you nervous, babe? You know I don’t bring women here, so it’s not like there’s anything to be jealous of.”
“Maybe because of that. Not jealousy, but this is your private space and you’re letting me in. That’s huge.”
“Not as huge as meeting your parents. Or making love to you in their barn. Or telling you I love you under their forever-kiss tree.”
He brushed his lips over hers. She closed her eyes and whispered, “I love you.”
She felt him smiling and went up on her toes to steal a real kiss. His mouth pressed firmly against hers, warm and hungry.
As he trailed kisses along her cheek, his husky voice swaggered into her ear. “I have something huge to show you.”
He sank his teeth into her earlobe just hard enough to sting deliciously. She heard him groan. Why, oh why, was that such an aphrodisiac? She drew back, meeting the inferno in his eyes.
“Are you trying to distract me from being nervous? Because it’s working really well.”
“I can’t help myself around you. Maybe we should go for Naked Wednesdays instead of Naked Saturdays.” He lifted up the edge of her sweater and pushed his hand beneath, palming her breast.
“I’m not sure Mick will think that’s appropriate since I work on Wednesdays.” That earned a brooding stare and he tweaked her nipple. She gasped and tugged him down by the collar of his T-shirt. “You’re so jealous. It’s kind of cute.”
“I’ll show you cute.” He swept her into his arms and looked around the room like he wasn’t sure where he should take her. Mumbling something about a theater, he carried her down a hallway.
She kissed his neck, then the prickly scruff along his jaw, and he made another greedy noise as they entered a dark room. He lowered her to an enormous couch that felt cold like leather and came down over her.
His eyes shimmered in the darkness. “You have never made out in a theater, right?”
“You have a home theater?” She leaned up, surveying their surroundings as her eyes adjusted to the dark. There was a row of recliners behind them, which sat higher than the couch. An old reel-to-reel projector sat off to the side on a tall table, and the walls were covered with old movie and Broadway posters set in elaborate frames. “Wow.”
“I’d rather hear that when I take my clothes off.”
“Oh, you will,” she promised, still looking around.
He touched her cheek, bringing her attention back to him. “Would you like to see the room, baby? Maybe watch a movie?”
“Yes, I’d like to see it. You can’t take me into your private theater and expect me not to want to see this secret side of you.”
“I was getting ready to show you the secret side of me.” He picked up a remote lying on a table beside the sofa and pushed a button, illuminating a blank wall in front of them and several artistically angled, dimly lit fixtures throughout the rest of the room.
“Your secret is about as safe as Victoria’s,” she said as she pushed to her feet.
He pulled her down onto his lap and kissed her passionately. “I happen to like Victoria’s Secret.” He pushed his hand beneath her dress, running his fingers over her panties. “And from the lingerie you wear, I believe you do, too.”
“Maybe so,” she whispered, “but I like your not-so-secret secret much better. I’ve seen enough movie room. Secret now, please.” She straddled his lap as the room went dark.
SEVERAL INCREDIBLE ORGASMS and one pizza delivery later, Sophie lay in Brett’s arms on the couch watching a movie, their bodies intertwined. Dylan had called earlier and invited them to watch football at his place on Sunday. Sophie couldn’t get over how happy Dylan was about the two of them coming together. It felt like ages since she’d seen everyone, even though the perfumery opening was only two weeks ago. She felt like they’d been away for a month. A very long, wonderful month, and she wasn’t ready to go back to real life. She hated the idea of spending several hours apart when she’d gotten used to seeing and kissing Brett anytime she wanted. They’d become so in sync and comfortable with each other, she wondered if anything would change once real life crept in.
“Have lunch with me tomorrow?” he asked. “I can’t go cold turkey for eight-plus hours.”
He nipped at her shoulder. She couldn’t get enough of those love bites!
“I’d really like that.” She turned toward him and said, “Careful, Mr. Bad. Your commitment is showing.”
He tightened his hold on her. “I’d like to put it in lights, or on a billboard. ‘Sophie Roberts is Taken.’”
“Only if I get one claiming you as mine, too.” She closed her eyes, snuggling closer. Real life could creep in all it wanted. It had nothing on them.