Hot Item

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

RILEY SPREAD the blanket over the ground, using the time to gather his thoughts and his resolve. He had played many big games before and never suffered performance anxiety. He didn’t intend to do so now, even though this was the one time he had the most to prove.

He needed Sophie to see that what they shared was more than one night. That they were more than a brief fling. He almost laughed at the irony. He’d never planned to think beyond the moment. Even when he’d been with Sophie in Florida, there’d been an inherent understanding that they were giving in to temptation. Nothing more.

He’d cemented that impression by turning on her when she’d tried to point out his mistakes with his daughter. Any positive feelings Sophie had begun to develop for him had evaporated fast. He’d given Sophie no reason then or now to think she was special to him. After all, she’d seen him flirt with every woman in a skirt.

But he knew now that she was the only woman he truly wanted. If he thought it would make a difference, he’d hand over his heart as quickly as she’d captured his. Yet he knew that baring his feelings would send her running far and fast, because in Sophie he’d found someone who’d mastered the art of self-protection far better than he had. And he’d caused her to raise her barriers high. She couldn’t allow herself to trust him and he promised himself he’d gauge her reactions and pace himself accordingly. The endgame mattered more than the short-term goals.

He sat down on the blanket and patted the space beside him. “Join me?”

She curled up close, the cool air from the ride in the convertible giving her incentive to want body heat. He just plain wanted her.

“This is a nice place to grow up,” she murmured.

He smiled. “Glad I could share it with you.”

She leaned back on her elbows and glanced up at the stars, which were barely visible through the haze and clouds. “Did you ever wish upon a star?” she asked.

“Can’t say that I have. I’m more of a practical, make-my-own-luck kind of guy.”

She shook her head in mock pity. “You really missed out on one of childhood’s great moments.”

“Star light, star bright?” he asked lightly.

“First star I see tonight. I wish I may, I wish I might, have the wish I wish tonight.”

As he studied the delicate features he’d come to adore, he suddenly found a reason to indulge in whims and fantasy. He stared upward and found the brightest star in the night sky, the one that called to him in a way that the others did not. The same as Sophie did, Riley thought.

He shut his eyes and wished for what he desired more than anything else. “Sophie-”

“Shh.”

She placed her finger over his mouth to silence him and his lips tingled beneath her touch.

“Don’t tell me your wish or it won’t come true,” she said.

“That means you can’t tell me your wish, either,” he said, unable to contain his disappointment. He’d wanted her to let him inside her heart.

“But I can tell you that it’s the same wish I’ve been making for as long as I can remember.” A wistful smile passed over her lips, vanishing as fast as it came.

He pushed her long curls off the back of her neck. “It hasn’t come true yet?”

“Nope.” She tipped her head, obviously enjoying the brush of his fingertips against her skin, so he kept up the soft contact.

“But I keep hoping it will.” Her lashes fluttered closed.

He swallowed hard. He wanted to be the one to make her dreams come true, but first she had to believe in him.

Goal in mind, he leaned over and nuzzled his face into the sweet spot between her neck and shoulders. She smelled delicious and when he licked her soft skin, he discovered she tasted even better. A seductive purr escaped the back of her throat and she trembled against him.

God, he loved just being with her, Riley thought, and he refused to contemplate what he’d do if she pulled away after tonight.

A quick sweep of his hand over the front of her shirt and he felt her hardened nipples, proof that in Sophie, when it came to passion, he had a willing partner. Riley decided it was a damn good start.

He wrapped one arm around her waist and drew her down, protecting her from the hard ground by rolling her on top of him. Her full breasts pressed hard against his chest as her lower half settled into the vee of his legs.

He groaned aloud, unable to control his reaction to having her exactly where he wanted her.

She grinned and wiggled her hips enticingly, causing his erection to swell.

“Tease.” He laughed.

“You love it,” she whispered, planting kisses over his face until her lips settled over his.

He loved her. Thinking it at the same time he held her in his arms caused a rush of warmth and a sense of rightness to flood through him. His heart pounded hard and heavy in his chest with the desire to make himself one with her overwhelming.

His tongue tangled with hers. Heat flared to life in his belly, the friction of their twisting, grinding bodies bringing him too close too fast. He didn’t want to come without being inside her, deep inside her, so she’d feel how right they were together. How wrong they were apart.

He slipped his hands up the back of her shirt so he could embrace her bare skin. He also managed to still the rhythmic motion of her hips that had him teetering on the edge.

She eased a bit, allowing her breath, hot against his neck, to slow, giving him time to take over. After a couple of tries, he managed to unhook her bra, then watched in fascination as she maneuvered enough to pull the female contraption out of one sleeve and then toss it onto the blanket beside them. Her shirt came next.

He took a moment to relish the sight of her naked in the moonlight. Then he reached out and cupped her breasts in his hands, feeling them heavy and aroused.

She arched her back, pressing her taut nipples into his palms. Seeking to enhance her arousal, he responded by rolling each bud between his thumb and forefinger. He wouldn’t last long once they began and he needed her tightly wound and ready to explode. Because he sure as hell was ready to blow.

Sophie’s entire body shook and trembled, on the edge of something so much bigger than she’d anticipated or experienced before, even with Riley. He knew just where to touch her to make her burn, exactly how hard to squeeze in order to push her past reason and sanity.

Unable to wait, she reached down with shaking hands and unbuttoned Riley’s jeans. She hooked her thumbs into the waist and quickly helped him shove them down his legs and past his ankles, until they joined the growing pile on the ground.

She was crazed with wanting, practically panting with desire, yet she was still partially dressed. Riley’s eyes were glazed and dark with need, but he didn’t reach to help her. Instead he clasped his hands behind his head as if he were relaxed and composed, with all the time in the world.

But his penis thrust upward, demanding attention, making a mockery of his so-called composure.

“Undress for me,” he said in a gruff voice.

At the request, a liquid trickle of desire pooled in her panties. A desperate throbbing pulsed low in her belly and she vibrated with unfilled longing. She rose to her knees and slowly, deliberately, wiggled her jeans down her thighs, stopping when they reached her ankles.

Sophie was braver than she’d given herself credit for but she couldn’t muster the courage to strip completely in the great outdoors. She glanced at Riley and saw only understanding in his eyes. He wasn’t going to push her further than she could handle.

His understanding was enough to bring her to tears. The little things-like the way he read her mind, and the way he understood her and accepted her anyway-chipped at the walls around her heart. But all his sweetness and decency couldn’t change the differences between them that would drive them apart in the end.

Sophie feared loss more than she feared anything else, but she couldn’t lose what wasn’t hers. Her wish upon a star had been for someone to love her and cherish her forever. That might be in the cards one day, but not with Riley. Not with a man who’d tried and failed at marriage, and who’d decided he wasn’t someone to be closed in by rules. But that didn’t mean she couldn’t have him now.

And once again, being with Riley made her want to push beyond her security level, beyond her normal comfort zone. For Riley, she wanted to be braver than she’d ever been before. And she couldn’t wait a minute more.

She rose over him, his thick head poised between her legs. Then his erection disappeared as she slid down, fusing their bodies and filling the emptiness inside herself with everything that was Riley. She enclosed him completely, feeling him all the way through to her soul.

“Sophie.” He called out her name on a rough gasp, his pleasure evident in his tone.

Sophie shut her eyes and let herself feel. She rose upward, squeezing her inner muscles around him, and released as she slid back down. The friction between them was sweet and intense, taking her by surprise. Her throat filled with emotion with every slick glide up and down, with each thrust of her mound against him.

His breath quickened without warning and she realized he was near his peak. She wasn’t far behind and when he grabbed onto her hips and pumped his body up into hers, slick, hot and harder each time, he took her closer still. He found the rhythm she needed, and she soared up and over, wave after wave of the most intense climax washing over her, pummeling her relentlessly, until finally, she peaked and saw stars brighter than those she’d wished upon all these years.

Just when she thought she was sated, he thrust upward once more and she squeezed him tight, causing one last wave of ultimate sensation to sweep through her body.

She thought she’d heard herself scream but was too embarrassed to ask. All she knew for sure was that, once again, Riley had engaged not just her body but her heart and soul.

Heaven help her when he walked away after this.

SOPHIE AWOKE, her body aching in sinfully delicious ways. When Riley had said good-night outside her bedroom door, the kiss had been achingly slow and beautiful. She’d felt so cherished and loved, even without the actual words having been said. Thank God. Because her fears were knocking loudly and she was having one hell of a time ignoring them.

She showered and dressed for breakfast, choosing a casual peasant skirt, T-shirt and loosely draped belt before heading downstairs. She didn’t know who she’d find in the dining room where staff set the long table each morning. She was hoping to run into Riley’s mother, Anne, whom she’d truly enjoyed spending time with. She prayed she’d miss Lizzie, who, as was the tendency of teenagers, may have slept in.

Instead she discovered Senator Nash sitting at the head of the table, drinking coffee and reading the morning newspaper. Food had been set up buffet style on the credenza, and Sophie chose to indulge for a change, picking scrambled eggs and hash browns along with a large glass of orange juice before joining Riley’s father at the table.

She eased into a seat beside him and set her plate in front of her.

“Good morning,” he said, folding the paper and placing it aside.

Sophie smiled. “Good morning to you, too.”

“Looks like we’re the early birds.”

She nodded. “Force of habit, I guess.”

“I never set an alarm clock. I’m up at five forty-two every morning.”

Seeing a kindred spirit, she couldn’t help but laugh. “It’s six forty-six for me.”

In the comfortable silence that followed, she ate her breakfast while he rose and served himself. Seconds, he informed her, hoping his wife didn’t catch him overindulging.

He appeared warm and friendly and Sophie couldn’t help but be drawn to the man, since she could relate to him on many levels, including his need to control the world around him, she thought wryly.

“So tell me about your PR agency,” he said when they’d moved on to just sipping their coffee.

She enjoyed talking about her job, which inevitably entailed discussing her family, and she dove into the subject. “My uncle started a sports agency called The Hot Zone years ago, way before my sisters and I came to live with him.”

“I’m sorry about your parents,” he said somberly. “Riley’s told me your history.”

“Thank you,” she murmured.

She was used to the comment. It was the revelation that Riley had informed the senator about her family that surprised Sophie. Had Riley passed on the information in preparation for her visit here-or for other, more personal reasons? Did he want his stepfather to know about Sophie as a person Riley cared for? she wondered.

She shivered and paused for a large sip of her hot coffee.

Senator Nash nodded, encouraging her to continue when she was ready.

“Anyway, after Annabelle-the oldest sister-graduated from business school, she suggested the idea of starting up a PR firm as a subsidiary of the sports agency. Uncle Yank loved the notion. He saw it as a way of continuing to care for his athletes once their playing days came to an end.”

“In what way?” he asked.

Sophie sensed true interest, not forced conversation, so she indulged in a longer explanation. “If a client signs with both Uncle Yank as his agent and The Hot Zone PR firm, we can negotiate not only big-money endorsements while an athlete is in their prime, but also lay the groundwork in preparation for the future. Whether they’re injured a year into a big-money contract and need a source of income, or whether they play out a successful career, we can help them plan for both.”

“Very interesting,” he said, nodding.

Sophie blushed. “I’m sorry. I tend to get carried away when I start talking about something I’m interested in.”

“No need to apologize. Riley has said he finds your knowledge on all subjects fascinating and I tend to agree.”

She glanced into her now-empty cup. No way would she explain the need that drove her to overlearn about everything. Her control issues were too personal.

“So do you have anything to do with the agency side of the business or are you exclusively involved in PR?” he asked.

“I do PR for the most part, but we have a weekly meeting of partners only, so everyone’s up to speed on the key clients and issues. That way nobody’s ever left high and dry in an emergency,” she said, proud of the system they’d made work over the years.

He leaned back in his chair and nodded approvingly. “Although I’m in politics, I do consider myself business savvy and I think that’s a smart way to run things. So you’re close with Spencer Atkins?”

Sophie suspected Riley’s stepfather had been gradually leading to this moment. By questioning her about her business, he’d been able to work his way around to Spencer without being obvious. Well, without being too obvious. She was definitely onto him.

She glanced down, uncomfortable with the subject of Riley’s real father, while buying herself time to think.

“Riley told me he’s trusted you with the information,” the senator said. Reaching out, he patted Sophie’s hand. “If my son trusts you, so do I. I’m sure you realize how sensitive this is. Mississippi isn’t known as part of the Bible Belt for no reason.”

Now Sophie really was uncomfortable. “Senator-”

“Please call me Harlan.”

Either he was as honest and good as Riley believed or he was the ultimate politician. She wanted to believe the former and operated under the assumption that she could trust his word. “Harlan, Spencer’s been like a part of my family for as long as I can remember.”

“So you knew about his…” He loosened his tie and cleared his throat.

“Sexual orientation?” She shook her head. “No, I didn’t. No one in my family knew. But he’s entitled to his privacy,” she said defensively.

“No one agrees more than I do. It’s a shame the way someone chose to repeat what they’d discovered. Whoever it was probably made a huge amount of cash by revealing the truth.”

Sophie frowned. “As much as I know that’s the way of the world, it makes me sick.”

“I know. Now my biggest concern is keeping the news quiet.”

She toyed with the napkin in her lap. Finally she glanced up, deciding to jump into the conversation all the way. “I understand how sensitive a subject gay rights is, but why would your constituents hold Spencer’s affiliation against you? You aren’t even related by blood!” Sophie hated how bigoted individuals could affect so many innocent people’s lives.

The senator rose and paced the floor. “I married the man’s wife when she was pregnant with his child. I raised the man’s son. The implication will be that I condone his lifestyle.”

“That’s ridiculous. Doing something noble doesn’t mean you condoned anything, or even knew the truth about Spencer.” She stilled, recalling Riley’s suspicion about that very thing. “Or did you know the truth?” she asked softly.

He shook his head. “Neither did Anne. All she knew was that her husband no longer wanted to be married. We met soon after and I fell hard. She was wise enough to trust that we could make a lasting union-Anne, her unborn son and myself.”

Sophie exhaled long and hard. She knew how much Riley feared his parents had been lying to him all along. Though she was saddened at how alone Spencer must have been, she was definitely relieved that Riley’s family hadn’t been hiding the truth.

“The fact remains, Mississippi has had a law banning gay marriage since 1997, and in 2004 the voters passed a Constitutional Amendment declaring marriage as being between one man and one woman. It passed by eight-six percent,” he said solemnly. “In my mind that leaves no room for close family ties that make my future decisions suspect.” He shook his head. “Doesn’t matter what I think or feel, that’s the way of things.”

Sophie had no intention of delving into the senator’s true views on gay marriage, even assuming he’d tell her the truth. Nor did she plan on asking him if he’d ever taken into consideration Riley’s right to get to know his birth father.

She suspected the senator wouldn’t like her opinion and opted to remain silent. “I can promise you the truth won’t leak from me. I’m loyal to those I care about.” That much she could say with ease.

Besides, Spencer wanted things hidden, as well. Like it or not, Sophie would stand by everyone’s choices.

Harlan stopped his pacing. “You can’t imagine how glad I am to hear that.”

She wondered what he would have said or done if she’d planned to spill that carefully hidden secret. She glanced into his steely-gray eyes and decided she was darn glad she wouldn’t have to find out.

“I trust Spencer feels the same way?” he asked, unapologetically probing her.

She pursed her lips. “Despite the way things looked over the years, Spencer has always had Riley’s best interest at heart and Riley has asked him to keep silent. I’m certain that’s the end of things as far as Spencer is concerned.” She hated discussing this and wanted the subject dropped.

Harlan gripped the back of a chair in a tight clench. “With all the unfortunate events at your place of business, he’s probably too busy to focus much on himself anyway.”

She leveled him with a curious glance. “How did you know?”

“Riley’s filled me in on the break-in, the camera and those men who just won’t leave you alone,” the senator explained. “I’m sure your uncle and Spencer are distraught with worry.”

Sophie narrowed her gaze. “But I thought-”

“Good morning, everyone,” Anne Nash strode into the room, her mood as bright and cheerful as her patterned silk blouse.

Sophie had been about to ask just when Riley had found time with his stepfather to provide him with all that information since, as far as she knew, he hadn’t had a moment alone with the man.

“Harlan, are you torturing Sophie with stories about Riley as a baby?” Anne asked.

Her husband chuckled and pulled out a chair for his wife to sit. “Actually, I leave those memories for you to divulge. You’re a much better storyteller than I.” He smiled indulgently at his wife.

Sophie resisted the urge to scratch her head. The senator was an enigma. A man with an agenda, but one who obviously loved his family so much it eclipsed anything else in Sophie’s mind.

Footsteps running down the stairs echoed through the house and seconds later, Lizzie joined them for breakfast, scowling when she saw Sophie. She didn’t bother to hide her dislike from her grandparents, who obviously indulged her tantrums and spoiled behavior even more than her father did.

Sophie rose and poured herself more coffee, deciding maybe the caffeine would help her deal with the demon child. Lizzie was Riley’s daughter, and Sophie was determined to win over the young girl.

The teenager chose a chair far away from Sophie, near the other end of the rectangular table. There was some chatter among her grandparents, but Lizzie remained quiet.

“Lizzie?” Sophie asked.

“Hmm.” The young girl didn’t look up from her cereal as she ate.

“Have you seen any good movies? My sisters and I get together for a girls’ night and we’re trying to pick something light and fun. Do you have any suggestions?” Sophie tried to engage the teen in conversation.

“Like you care. You’re just trying to be nice to me to suck up to my dad.”

Sophie gritted her teeth and glanced around the table. The senator had taken a phone call in the other room, which left only Riley’s mother as a buffer.

Anne gave Sophie a sympathetic glance but said nothing in the way of real support.

Sophie was on her own. As much as she wanted to tell Lizzie off and be done with her attitude, Sophie felt sorry for the child who feared losing her dad to some strange woman.

Sophie clasped her hands in her lap and leaned forward. “Lizzie, you don’t know me at all, but I’m going to tell you a little something about myself.”

“I’m not interested.”

To Sophie’s surprise, Anne sucked in a shocked breath. “You may not be interested, young lady, but you will listen to what Sophie has to say. You’re in my home and we treat guests politely here. Do you understand me?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Lizzie muttered.

Sophie smiled, grateful for Anne’s interjection. “My parents weren’t divorced like yours, but they died when I was younger than you are now.”

She watched the teen carefully for signs of reaction and was grateful when Lizzie cast her eyes down to her lap. At least Sophie knew she was listening and decided to continue.

“I was raised by my uncle who happens to be your father’s agent. So I know something about not wanting to be left out and I know even more about being afraid of losing someone you love.”

Although Lizzie remained silent, her cheeks had turned pink, making Sophie wonder if she was embarrassed by her earlier outburst.

Sophie paused and thought about what to say next. “I’m here as a guest and I’m a friend of your father’s, but I have no intention of taking him away from you and I don’t want to compete with you in any way. You come first for him. You always will.”

Lizzie didn’t respond. If Sophie had reached her, she had no way of knowing it and the silence around the table grew, until Anne tossed her linen napkin down and rose from her seat.

“Elizabeth Nash, I know your parents have taught you better manners than what you’re displaying now,” the older woman said in obvious frustration. “Sophie was nice enough to reassure you despite your behavior. Now I suggest we go on from here. She asked you a question about the movies and I think you should answer it. Nicely,” Anne added, emphasizing her point.

Sophie hadn’t expected the verbal support and she mouthed a thank-you to Anne. The other woman smiled in return and eased herself back into her chair.

“She’s not my mother and I don’t see why I have to have anything to do with her.” Lizzie’s stubbornness rivaled her father’s.

“Because your father said that you do.”

At the sound of Riley’s voice, Sophie jerked around in her seat.

He stood in the doorway of the dining room, his broad shoulders filling the space. Even though she’d just seen him last night, Sophie couldn’t take her eyes from him now.

He wore a tan-colored shirt and had rolled up the sleeves halfway, exposing his muscular forearms, which he’d folded across his chest as he eyed his daughter with a determined stare.

“But…”

“No buts.” Riley strode into the room. Pausing by Sophie, he leaned down and kissed her cheek, making a statement to everyone in the room.

Especially to Sophie. At the unexpected and blatant gesture, her heart skipped a beat and her breath caught somewhere between her chest and her throat.

As if he’d done nothing out of the ordinary, Riley headed for the credenza, poured himself some coffee and joined the rest of the stunned people at the table.

“Elizabeth?” Riley prodded his daughter. “Either you answer Sophie’s question as your grandmother suggested or you apologize for being rude. Either one works for me.”

Lizzie glanced up, tears filling her big eyes. “You never used to be so mean to me. You used to take my side. Now all of a sudden, you’re ganging up on me and I know why. It’s because you want me to spend more time with Mom so you’ll have more time alone with her.” She jerked a finger toward Sophie. “Mom said you have someone special in your life and I should respect it,” she said, a mixture of disgust and jealousy icing her tone.

“Then why don’t you?” Riley asked his daughter softly.

“Because I don’t want to lose you.” Big teardrops fell from Lizzie’s eyes and Riley held out his arms so his daughter could come for the hug she so desperately wanted.

Sophie watched the emotional scene play out and slowly eased her chair back so she could slip out of the room. Her own emotions were raw and at the surface, tears threatening to swamp her, too. She knew what it was like to lose a parent in some way and she couldn’t help but empathize with the young girl. At thirteen, Lizzie was reacting to her emotions. Thinking about other people’s feelings wasn’t within her frame of reference right now and Sophie couldn’t blame her.

Sophie made her way back to her room, grateful nobody had followed her. She needed time alone with her thoughts, which were already hammering at her hard.

Sophie had been a few years younger than Lizzie when she’d lost her parents, but Sophie finally understood the panic and fear in the teenager’s eyes and comprehended the source of her defiant attitude. Sophie was only sorry she hadn’t equated the two things on such an elemental level earlier, but now that she had, there was no way she would be the cause of that kind of pain for Riley’s daughter. There was no way she’d let Riley lose the most precious person in his life.

Sophie pulled her suitcase from the closet and began to pack for home. No need to wait for their flight later today when she was certain she could leave now.