His security chief crossed to his boss. ‘I just dropped off that package you said might turn up.’ He hesitated a fraction or two. ‘You were going to be longer in Townsville, I thought.’
One half of Daniel’s mouth turned up. ‘We finished up early. Thanks for delivering the package. Did you have anything else for me?’ The big man shook his head.
‘I’m waiting. I’ll text you.’
Daniel nodded. ‘Then if that’s all?’
‘Well, all except for Friday night’s poker game—we still on for that?’
Daniel looked at Sophie, a frown tugging his brows. ‘Not this week. Maybe next.’
Jo followed his gaze and smirked. Sophie wanted to protest that it was nothing to do with her, but he was already leaving. ‘Later,’ he said.
Millie gave a matter-of-fact harrumph and excused herself for the kitchen with the news that dinner was now only ten minutes away.
Daniel leaned one hand against the wall and sighed. Sophie sure was a sight for sore eyes. Her hair was wild and stiff around her face, her damp sarong clinging to every curve, and he applauded the disarray. She looked so much better like this than in that buttoned-up dress he’d seen her in yesterday. She looked more real. More woman. Oh yes; coming home early was the best decision he’d made in a long while.
She looked in the direction where Jo had exited. ‘I don’t think I like that man.’
‘Jo? Why? What did he do?’
‘He was just…’ She crossed her arms over her chest and shivered. ‘I don’t know. Creepy—the way he looked at me.’
‘Jo’s ex-army. He’s tough, but he’s a good operator. One of my most loyal employees, in fact.’ Still he noticed the tremor that moved through her, and he wondered if there was more to it than she was letting on. Then again, no man in his right mind wouldn’t want to stare at Sophie, given the way she looked right now, still damp from the sea, her cheeks flushed, her hair like he imagined it would look after a long, hot session making love.
Damn. Come to think of it, he wasn’t sure he liked the idea of anyone else wanting to stare, not if their thoughts ended up along the same path…
He had to change the subject. ‘How was your day?’
She blinked, and once again he got to appreciate that sweep of impressive lashes against her cheek. Strange, how something so innocent could be so sexy.
‘I got a lot done.’
He smiled. He’d just bet she had; probably lazed around the pool all day. ‘Because I wasn’t here?’
‘It helped.’
Her honest reply made his smile grow wider. He’d been right to ditch that meeting early. Debate had been going round and round for hours; ordinarily he would have stopped it long before. Whereas she maintained she’d found his absence productive, he’d been distracted all day by thoughts of her, what she was doing in his house, and whether she was wearing that blue bikini again.
How much more enjoyable to be here, at home, and see that she was.
‘Are you hungry?’
He could swear he saw something in her eyes flare. Desire? He wanted to think so. For he was hungry for more than just food now and it would suit him fine if she felt the same way. There would not be that many opportunities, not once the offer process got under way and Fletcher’s plan started to unravel. It would be foolish to waste the few nights they had.
‘Famished,’ came her softly spoken response through lips plump and pink—tastier than anything Millie might serve up, he knew. For a moment, he was tempted to dip his head and taste her once again and forget all about dinner. But instead he merely took her hand, ignoring her protest that she needed to shower when she looked ready to serve up on a platter herself.
‘Then we should eat.’
He liked watching her eat, he decided through the meal as twilight moved to dark within minutes. He liked watching her, full-stop. Even when she was talking incessantly about the wedding and the arrangements she’d apparently made, as if he was actually interested, he liked watching her. Her face was animated, her eyes bright, whether gilded by the lowering sun’s rays or, like now, kissed by the soft pearlescence of the moon; that was all that mattered.
She was beautiful.
She was here.
And tonight he would have her.
Millie was serving up dessert when Sophie finally worked up the courage to ask; he’d glossed over her questions about the guest list earlier. In fact, he’d glossed over anything to do with the wedding, with glib responses that had given her nothing. But if she was going to get these invitations out this week it would help to understand something of Monica’s family. Besides, she was curious. And, given Daniel seemed to be in a good mood tonight, there was no time like the present.