Saving Sophie: Book Seven In The Bodyguards Of L.A. County Series (34 page)

Sophie sent the final screw into the closet wall
, securing the last of the shelves in place. She stepped back, examining her work with a critical eye, and nodded. “Not bad,” she muttered to herself as she turned to Stone. “Okay. I’m finished.”

Stone glanced over his shoulder from his perch on the stepladder, twisting the bulb into the pretty new fixture he’d installed. “Looks good.”

“Thanks. This was fun.”

“I’m glad you think so. Maybe I can get you to help me plan the gardens for the patio I’m going to put in off the master bedroom.”

The idea of another creative challenge was very appealing. Somehow Stone had known she needed a distraction from the monotony of another night stuck behind drawn shades and locked doors. After dinner he’d taken her hand and pulled her down the hall to the guestroom, announcing that they had a project to take care of. He could have easily completed the job within minutes, but he’d let her help, patiently teaching her how to drill pilot holes and insert toggle bolts to mount the shelves. “I could do that.”

He smiled as he secured the last of the three bulbs in place. “I have some rough sketches drawn up.”

“You’ll have to show me.” She glanced toward the covered window, ignoring the claustrophobic sensation of late. Outside the stars twinkled and the quarter-moon shined bright, but she wasn’t able to see it. The lack of fresh air and freedom to come and go as she pleased was starting to make her edgy. Ever since the light activated on the panel two nights ago, she’d been tense. Both Stone and Shane had assured her there was nothing to worry about, but she’d heard them muttering quietly on several occasions, and she couldn’t help but notice that Stone wore his gun at all times—not just when they were out in public.

“There’s one last thing to do,” he said as he got down.

Frowning, she turned to the closet. “What’s that?”

He grabbed the level and came up behind her, his chest bumping her back as he set the large piece of metal on the shelf and bent at the knees into a slight crouch. The green liquid in the center of the level stayed even between the two black lines. “Way to go, Soph,” he said close to her ear, his warm breath tickling her skin, making her shiver.

“Thanks.”

“It looks like we have a bonafide handywoman in the house.” He stepped back.

“That’s Ms. Fixit to you.” She smiled as she turned, crashing into him. “Sorry.”

He brushed his fingers down her bare arms, holding her gaze. “No problem.”

She swallowed as heat rushed along the path his hands had taken. “Thanks again for letting me help.” She smiled, trying to keep things casual. Stone’s gentle touches and long stares were becoming harder to resist.

He slid his thumb along her knuckles. “It’s nice having the company.”

Her heart fluttered every time he
did
that. “I should probably…”

He lifted her hands, pressing his lips to her fingers. “You don’t want to help with the cover plates?”

Her thoughts of escape disintegrated. “Uh, the what?”

He nuzzled her uncasted wrist, tickling sensitive skin with the scruff along his jaw as he held her other arm, nipping at the pads of her fingers with his teeth. “The cover plates for the light switches.”

She exhaled a shaky breath, shuddering from his relentless assault.

“Soph.” He closed the distance between them, touching his mouth to hers in a fleeting whisper, snagging her bottom lip, tugging.

She whimpered as he moved in for more, rubbing, teasing, coaxing her mouth into following his as he clutched at her hair. Her breathing grew ragged as she trailed her palms up the sides of his waist, waiting for him to finally take her under. For weeks she’d yearned for this, to be in his arms again...but this was wrong. This couldn’t happen. “Stop.” She stepped back. “I’m going to—I’m just—I need to...” She started toward the door.

“Wait.” He snagged her by the elbow.

“I can’t.” She pulled free of his hold and hurried across the hall, closing herself in the bedroom, leaning against the door. This was
crazy
. All of this was too much—hit men, sensor panels, bodyguards, the media…
Stone
. She was weakening, caving into her wants at a time when she needed to stay strong. Spending every waking moment with him wasn’t helping, nor did the fact that they shared a bed each night so Shane could have the couch.

But none of that mattered. Awkward sleeping arrangements and hours in Stone’s presence didn’t change the facts. They were divorced. Their marriage had ended because that made the most sense. If she hadn’t been in an accident they wouldn’t even be together right now. They lived separate lives—or typically did, and would again. She huffed out a breath as she paced the room, nibbling her nail, worrying that no matter how many times she reminded herself of their reality, she couldn’t stop wanting him.

She glanced toward the window, craving a long walk on the beach, desperate to clear her crowded mind. Just ten minutes alone with her feet in the warm sand… But that wouldn’t be happening anytime soon.

“Soph?” Stone called through the door, giving a quick knock before he walked in.

Whirling, she faced him. “I can’t do this right now.”

He shut the door behind him. “Soph—”

“Not right now, Stone,” she said with a hint of panic, already knowing she had little resistance left against his searing looks and mind-numbing kisses. “I need a few minutes.”

Clenching his jaw, he held her gaze. “Tell me you don’t want this.”

“I—I don’t want this,” she whispered, trying to convince herself as much as him.

“Tell me you don’t want me.”

She swallowed. “I don’t want you.”

“Why don’t I believe you?”

She turned away. “I don’t know.”

He came up behind her, sliding his fingers through her hair. “I want this, Soph.” He kissed the back of her neck. “I want you.” He pressed his lips to her skin again as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

She clutched at his forearms. “We can’t do this.”

“Why?” He started on the bottom buttons of her pale-green shark-bite tank.

“Because Shane’s just down the hall.”

“He’s watching TV.”

“I’ll be leaving when all of this is over.” Even as she spoke, she settled her head against his chest, her body a traitor to what she knew shouldn’t be happening. “We’ll both go back to our own lives.”

“It doesn’t have to be that way.” He traced the lobe of her ear with his tongue while he parted her shirt, sliding teasing palms over her bra.

Trembling, she turned, staring into his deceptively lazy eyes. “This doesn’t work.
We
don’t work, Stone.”

“We both know that’s not true.” His lips cruised over her temple and along her forehead. “God, Soph, I need you.”

No matter how she tried to tell herself she didn’t, she needed him too. She stepped closer instead of away as he cupped her face and kissed her, plundering as if he’d starved since the last time. She hooked her fingers into the top of his jeans, meeting his hungry demands as feverishly as he gave them.

He hummed in his throat, his muscles shuddering as she lifted his shirt, touching his stomach and pecs.

“Lay down with me, Soph,” he murmured against her mouth, sending her top to the floor, walking with her to the bed, easing her down. “Are your ribs okay?”

She nodded, pulling his mouth back to hers as he settled himself on top of her.

“I need to touch you.” He unfastened her bra, lowering his head to tease her nipples with wet, whispering slides of his tongue. “So soft.”

She closed her eyes, sucking in a breath as sparks of anticipation started deep in her center.

He pulled at the snap on her denim capris and tugged down the zipper, getting to his knees, sliding off her pants and taking her panties with them.

She bit her lip and parted her legs, watching as he freed himself from his clothes, ready for him to enter her. Opening her arms, she invited him back.

He took his place on top of her, capturing her mouth while he pushed himself deep inside, swallowing her cries with the power of her climax. Before she could fall, he began moving slowly, lazily, bringing her up high with each thrust, taking her over again. He pressed his lips to her neck, her jaw, staring into her eyes as he brought his lips back to hers, kissing her endlessly until his breathing grew choppy and his movements jerky.

She cupped his face in her hands, holding his gaze as he gave into his own needs.

Filling her, he let out a raspy groan as he gasped for air, resting his forehead in the crook of her neck.

She’d missed this—what he could do to her, the connection. It was impossible to regret something she would happily repeat again. She slid her hands up and down his back, wondering where this left them.

~~~~

Stone lifted his head, kissing Sophie’s shoulders, her neck, and jawline, staring into her eyes as he lay inside of her. Not ready to break their connection, he adjusted himself slightly, careful to keep his weight on his arms and off her bruises. “Every time, Soph. Every time you destroy me.”

“I can easily say the same thing.” She smiled, tracing her finger over his bottom lip. “Sometimes I wish I didn’t know.”

He frowned, nibbling the tip of her finger between his teeth. “Know what?”

“The way it is. How we are when we’re together.”

He captured her mouth once more, hungry for her flavor. “That doesn’t have to change. I don’t want this to be a one and done.”

“We shouldn’t have ended up here again.”

“Why not?” He tried to keep the frustration out of his voice as he stroked his thumb along the side of her bicep. They
had
something. This was so much more than just sex and a business arrangement.

She shrugged. “I don’t know. I thought we were both trying to move on. It’s hard to do that if we’re doing this.”

“So that’s what this was, blow off a little steam and go our separate ways? Is that all it has to be?”

She shook her head with another shrug. “I don’t know how this works. I’ve never been in this situation before.”

“Let’s just lay it all out on the table.” They would either figure this out once and for all, or he didn’t know what they would do. “This thing between us, most relationships don’t start out the way ours did.”

“No. Our situation is pretty unique.” She gave him a small smile.

“But somehow it worked. We were making it work.” He tucked several strands of hair back behind her ear. “We had a couple of rough spots, but otherwise we were happy, weren’t we? Or was that just me?”

“I was happy. I liked us until I realized maybe you didn’t.” Swallowing, she looked away. “I didn’t have a right to hold you back from your life, Stone.” She met his gaze again. “You were doing me a favor.”

How did he make her understand that she
was
his life? “I stopped seeing our arrangement as a favor a long time ago. Were you happy being married to me, Soph?”

Her fingers paused against his back, then kept going. “Yes but it was foolish to continue the way we were.

“
Why
? What changed?”

“I think we needed different things.”

“I think we let people—Eric and Amber—get in the way of what we had.”

She evaded eye contact again.

He tilted her chin until she had no choice but to look at him. “Amber likes baseball, and she’s nice enough, but she’s not you. I love
you
, Soph. That’s why I want to be married to you.”

Surprise flickered in her eyes as they filled with tears.

“I love you, Sophie,” he whispered, touching his lips to hers.

“I—I didn’t know.”

“I’m sorry I never told you.” He kissed her. “Somewhere along the way I realized I’ve been crazy about you pretty much from the beginning.” He kissed her, feeling her trembling lips. “All of this is new for me. I’ve never felt the way I do about you, for anyone.”

“I love you too.”

He smiled, relieved to hear the words. “That’s a damn good thing.”

She grinned. “I’m glad you think so.”

He rested his forehead against hers, ready to confess the rest. “I, uh, I kind of need to tell you something.”

“What is it?”

“I never sent the papers back to your attorney for filing.” He held his breath as she blinked.

“You didn’t?”

He shook his head. “I signed them, but I couldn’t do it. I can’t let you go, Soph.”

“Kevin said everything was all set.”

“I don’t know what to tell you.”

She chuckled. “All these weeks we’ve been apart...”

“I don’t want to live my life without you. I want you to marry me again.”

She frowned. “But I thought you just said you didn’t dissolve our marriage.”

“I didn’t. The courthouse deal was a quick fix for our pinch. The vows we took are real, but when I look in your eyes and say them this time, I want you to know I mean them. If you want, we can have a ceremony in front of our friends.”

“How can I say no?” Laughing, she threw her arms around him. “Yes, of course.”

“Stone, Sophie, I’m taking Murphy out,” Shane hollered down the hall.

“Okay,” they said at the same time.

Sophie grinned. “We should get up.”

He grabbed her hand and kissed her fingers, not wanting the moment to end. “How about a movie?”

She nodded. “Sure. We should probably let Shane pick—”

Murphy’s vicious barking carried through the window.

Stone pulled away from Sophie, rushing out of bed. Pulling on his pants, he grabbed his gun. “Stay here.” He opened the bedroom door and hustled to the living room as Shane pulled a growling Murphy back into the house, locking up behind him. “What the hell’s going on? Did you see something?”

“No.” Shane moved to the monitors. “But Murphy did.”

Stone joined him, bending close to the screens, studying the footage outside.

“I was watching TV when Murphy started whining. I figured he had to go to the bathroom. I gave the monitor a quick scan while I leashed him up. As soon as I opened the door he went ape shit and started pulling me toward the canyons.

Stone’s eyes immediately moved to the footage back by the area where the footprints were found two nights ago. He rewound the tape, but there was no one there.