“I was trying to zip up my dress, but…” She shrugs, and I motion with my finger for her to spin around and face the mirror.
Stepping behind her, I grab the zipper and slowly pull it up while locking gazes in our reflection. She licks her lips and inhales sharply once I get it zipped to the top. Gently placing my palms on her shoulders, I push her arms down and slide my hands down her fingers.
“Breathtaking,” I whisper into her ear, burying my nose into her hair. “Are you sure you have to leave?”
“I wish I didn’t…trust me.”
I spin her around, taking in how stunning she is with her hair down in loose waves and her lips a perfect shade of peachy red.
“I’ll be back before you know it,” she says, and I can’t tell if she’s trying to reassure me or herself. “I wasn’t sure where you were taking me, so if I’m overdressed or whatever—”
“Sophie, you look perfect,” I tell her earnestly. “I can barely take my eyes off you.”
I study her tight red dress and see she’s wearing black stockings underneath. “Fuck, this might be an issue.”
“Really? Not good?” Her bottom lip trembles with worry. “I can change if you—”
“Might be an issue because I want to fucking rip off your clothes right now,” I admit, plucking the thin strap. The dress has a plunging neckline and a high banded waist that accentuates her tits to the goddamn moon. “I don’t want to be one of those guys who tells you how to dress, but you shouldn’t wear this to your meeting. You’ll give them all heart attacks.”
Sophie blushes and laughs, the sound going straight to my dick. “I’m going to slip on my leather jacket before I leave, so don’t worry. The most skin they’ll see is my neck.”
I groan, still not liking it. She looks so damn good—too damn good.
Good enough to eat.
“Stop looking at me like that or we’ll never get out of the house,” she tells me, pushing me back slightly.
I grab her wrist and press a kiss to her knuckles. “That sounds perfect to me. Let’s be on house arrest together.” I wink. Sophie wraps her other arm around my neck and pulls me in for a kiss.
“I’ll be home by seven fifteen at the latest.”
“A minute later and I’m sending out the SWAT team.” I slide my hands down her back, then cup her ass.
“Okay, Colin Farrell. Calm down.” She chuckles then laughs harder at my confused facial expression. “From the movie? S.W.A.T.?”
I shrug.
“I’m gonna have to man you up with some Jackie Chan and Bruce Willis, too.”
Grunting, I huff. “You can leave that to Liam. That’s right up his alley.”
“Hmm. True.”
“Soph, I think our ride’s here,” Maddie calls out, and all the hair on the back of my neck stands.
“Wait, what?” I ask. “What ride?”
Sophie furrows her brows. “Yeah, I told you Caleb was picking me up for the meeting.”
I pull back, my eyes widening. “Uh, no. You did not. Why the hell is he picking you up?”
“He offered when he asked if I was coming because he was going to be in the neighborhood from coming back in town or something,” she rambles, waving her hand around. “I swore I told you last night.”
“Babe, trust me. You didn’t tell me. I would remember.”
“Well, what’s the big deal?” She shrugs. “We’ll drop off Maddie, then go to the meeting and he’ll bring me back home. Then we can go on our date.” She wraps her arms around my waist, pulling me closer and looking up at me with wide, sad eyes.
“Soph…” I warn, resting my forehead against hers. “I don’t trust him. I’ll drive you.”
“Babe, don’t be jealous,” she says softly.
I grunt, pulling back. “I don’t get jealous.”
“Okay.” She smirks. “Then it should be no problem that another guy is driving me.”
“He’s not just another guy, Sophie. He’s a guy I don’t trust. Considering the way I saw him look at you, I have every right not to trust him.”
“I think you’re seeing something that isn’t there. I already told you this was my last meeting and that I don’t see him as anything more than a friend. I’m going to make that clear to him, too. Plus, he’s still grieving his wife, and considering this was a rough week for him, I just want to be there for him as a friend,” she explains, but I don’t give two shits about this guy’s feelings. Sophie is mine, and I want to protect her.
“Sophie!” Maddie calls out. “We gotta go!”
“Mason, please. I don’t want us to fight.”
“I don’t either, so don’t go with him. Make up an excuse. Tell him you have somewhere to go afterward or that I’m taking you instead.”
She frowns, and I can tell her mind is spinning. She hates conflict.