As the elevator chimes its arrival, I reply, “I can’t argue with that.” Stepping into the waiting elevator, I add, “Have a good night. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Will do.” Just as the doors are sliding shut, he calls after me, “Tell Sofia I said hi.”
While I wait for the elevator to rise to the sixth floor, where I’ve been staying with Sofia while I search for a new and safer permanent place to live, I let my thoughts slide back to that evening in the beginning of January. I remember talking to Jamie on the way out and him giving me shit about working all the time. I remember being so certain that my life was fine as it was.
That was before Sofia came back into my life.
That was before I realized just how much I missed her.
But I don’t love Sofia just for the person she was in high school. I love her just as she is now. Brave. Stubborn. Kind. Understanding.Forgiving.
I’m still not entirely sure I deserve her. I still have moments when I think,What if she changes her mind about forgiving me? What if the terrible things my father did are too much to overcome?
Then I remind myself,She loves me. She said she’s staying.And I renew my determination to never do anything to make her want to leave.
Of course we argue, like all couples do. As I exit the elevator onto the sixth floor, I smile to myself while remembering our most recent argument. It was ridiculous, really—I was checking some emails when she asked me a question, and Sofia got all offended by my tone. “What tone?” I asked her when she huffed and made a face at me. “I wasn’t using a tone. I was just answering your question.”
“Your tone,” she replied testily, “made it sound like I was bothering you. I just wanted to know about dinner. That’s all.”
I still don’t know what she was talking about. My tonewas perfectly normal.
But I apologized. Then I jumped up from my desk and dragged her into my arms, kissing her and telling her how beautiful she was. How I’d love anything she made for dinner. Or if she’d prefer, we could go out to eat instead.
Just apologize. It doesn’t matter what it’s for.That’s something I’ve heard some of my married buddies say. It sounded silly when I was single. But now? There’s nothing I care about more than making Sofia happy. So if I have to apologize for my tone to smooth things over? I’ll happily do it.
When I get to the apartment, I tuck the flowers beneath my arm and set the briefcase down again so I can unlock the three complicated locks installed at the front door. It doesn’t matter that the entire building is secure, now with even more security since Sofia’s living here. I don’t think a hundred locks would be enough to make me feel completely comfortable leaving her.
I know I’ll have to. I’ve got a work trip to DC coming up in two weeks that I can’t pass off to anyone else. But I’ve already spoken to Knight and Houdini, and they’re going to check in on Sofia to make sure she’s okay.
Or I could try to convince Sofia to come with me. Make a little vacation out of it. The cherry blossoms should be blooming when I get there, so it would be the perfect setting for wandering around the city once my meetings are over.
Yes. I’ll see if Sofia wants to come with me. Not because I’m worried about leaving her alone, but for a nice trip together. That’s all.
As the last lock unlatches, I push the door open and call out, “Hey, Soph. How would you like to come to DC on my work trip? We could extend the visit a few days, visit some museums, see the cherry blossoms?—”
But the instant I see her, my brain short circuits.
“Hi honey,” Sofia purrs as she walks across the living room towards me. She’s wearing nothing but a tiny pair of nearly-transparent black panties. Her dark hair drapes over one shoulder and curves around one gloriously bare breast. Her cheeks are pink and her eyes are sparkling.
I gape at her.
My briefcase hits the floor.
Sofia comes up to me and puts her hands on my shoulders. Then she stretches up to kiss me. She tastes like sweet mint and honey and a seductive flavor that’s only her. “I thought I’d surprise you,” she says. “Are you surprised?”
It’s hard to form words.
Not that I’ve never seen Sofia naked. I have, plenty of times, and it’s always incredible. But seeing her like this, her satiny skin and luscious curves on full display, that scrap of fabric barely covering the trimmed curls at the apex of her thighs…
Shit. If I’d knownthiswas waiting for me at home, I would have left work hours before.
With the few brain cells still functioning, I thrust the bouquet at Sofia while saying in a strangled voice, “Yes. I’m definitelysurprised.”
Sofia takes the flowers from me and closes her eyes as she takes a deep sniff. Then she looks up at me. Uncertainty flickers in her eyes. “In a good way, I hope.”
“Yes.” I toss my jacket at the couch and pull her into my arms. “Yes. A verygood surprise.” Dipping my head to kiss her, I gently drag her lower lip between my teeth, then stroke my tongue across the sensitive skin to soothe it.
Sofia hums with pleasure and wraps her arms around my neck, pressing her body against mine.
