“Excuse me, sir.” At the sound of Alena, Sophie startled.
“Relax. It is only my housekeeper,” he whispered into her ear, keeping his body where it was to shield Sophie’s nakedness from view.
“There is a phone call for Mrs Petrides.”
“Who is it?” His voice was a bark.
“Mr Sandhurst, sir.”
“Eric?” She said, and Alex imagined he felt the quiver of anticipation in her voice. His temper spiked.
“Tell him Mrs Petrides is otherwise occupied,” he growled, more harshly than he’d intended.
“Alex,” Sophie whispered, wishing to turn around but not wanting to risk exposing herself to anyone.
“Sophie, it is our wedding night. Unless there is something drastically wrong, Eric will not interrupt us.”
“But the twins …”
“Are fine.”
“How do you know?” She demanded, her voice rising in intensity.
“Because. Helena would have called me if there was a problem.”
“Then it must be something else. Something important.” She thought of Helena, and a trickle of anxiety ran through her. “Please, Alex. I’ll be quick.”
He compressed his lips, his temper dark.
“Alena, please bring a phone to Mrs Petrides.”
“Yes, sir.”
The housekeeper walked back towards the house, and once she’d disappeared inside, Sophie turned in the water.
“I had no idea we weren’t alone.”
“We are alone.”
“Um, there was just someone here.”
“Alena and Harry are my domestics.”
“And therefore they don’t count?”
“Well,” he smiled despite his contained fury. “Yes, they count. But they are used to being unseen, and to not seeing.”
Sophie wondered at the impact of his words. Strangely, for she knew him to be a renowned womaniser, she hadn’t really thought of him with other woman before then. Now?
“I guess I’m not the first woman you’ve brought here.”
He felt a sense of satisfaction at her obvious hurt. It was beneath him, and yet he’d relished in inflicting the blow. “No.”
She nodded slowly, her eyes not meeting his.
“As I don’t doubt I’m not your first lover,” he said slowly.
Pryingly.