Barbara blinked at Scott’s fierce defense. “Bu-but, Scott-”
“Don’t but me. Think. Use your brain! He loves that woman. Say a word against her and you are fired. Don’t you think that I am shocked by his ways sometimes? Oh, yes. However, my dear, this is real life. I have a sick mother and younger siblings to raise. Understand Mr. Ashford’s ways. Learn how to manage him.” Scott leaned back, fixing Barbara with his eyes, and twirled his Montblanc in his fingers. A wry smile appeared on his thin face when he finished, “Use him as he is using you.”
Essex, Saffron Walden. Galewick Hall.
Saturday, July 31st, 2010.
8.03 a.m.
Running his fingers through her long hair, Alistair sat on the bed and looked down at her. She was sleeping on her side, breathing softly. Her cheeks were pink from the warm air that was coming in through the open window. The bed covers were deliciously rumpled, smelling of vanilla. He spooned her and wrapped his arms around her body. In less than a week, you’ll be mine forever, you neurotic, domineering bride.
If Alistair thought himself a perfectionist, Sophia was obsessive.
If she thought him a tyrant, she was every inch the despot.
She’d asked for advice from her siblings, her grandmother, Alice and Domitila, had hired an army of people and, just like a maestrina, she conducted them all, supervising every little detail.
She chaired the wedding meetings as if she were dealing with a business transaction, with smoothness and an iron will. She decided on every color, taste, gift; she made sure she knew every person that was going to be invited, where they were going to be housed, what were their preferences and idiosyncrasies. Each room had been planned for its guests’ particularities with a personalized gift.
The wedding teams at Craigdale Castle, Airgead Caisteal and Dryad Manor were in love with her ideas and creativity.
Alistair could not say the same, though.
She had wanted his opinion on the cake, the favors, the menus, the seating plans, and things he had never imagined could exist. Every time he complained, his father and Leonard teased him that he should have married in Las Vegas.
When Alexander and Tavish also started to pester him, he cursed them with the same fate. Alexander shuddered, made the sign of the cross and never again teased him. Tavish had just smiled and said that if he wanted to change places he would oblige, and almost got punched in the eye.
And still I love this crazy woman just as she is. He chuckled happily. Soon you’ll be telling me what I can or can’t do.
“What?” she asked lazily, stretching against his warmth, as the rumble of his joy woke her up.
“You. If I’d had the faintest idea what I was creating when I gave you such a short deadline for marrying me, I would have eloped.”
“Hmm?”
“My own private paranoid, obsessive-compulsive Nessie,” Alistair squeezed her in his arms.
“A monster? Me? Ah! You shouldn’t have!” She turned to look at him. “What about you? You are an insensitive, obnoxious, overbearing, stubborn troglodyte, Lord Ells. It would have been easier to have done something small, just for the family or postponed the wedding till next year. But, you,” she poked in his chest, “you wanted to marry quickly and in style. I had to do everything alone.”
“Hey! Not totally alone. When I wasn’t making love to you, you were driving me crazy with unnecessary details,” he kissed her lips, as deep contentment filled his soul. “We really should have eloped.”
She laughed and jumped out of the bed. Sauntering happily to the bathroom, she retorted, “We should have. Too late now, Handsome.”
He smiled wickedly, stretching his arms above his head, waiting for her reaction to what he left on the sink. He licked his lips. My wedding gift.
Sophia looked at her body in the mirror. Her fingers ran over the small scar on her belly and stopped short when she noticed a small white toiletries bag leaning on the mirror. Propped on it, was an envelope with a message in Alistair’s handwriting.
Sweetheart,
If you feel like trying, I’d love to be your teacher.
Alistair Connor
What the hell? She opened the envelope and took out a sheet of paper. Her mouth fell open as she read the directions on how to use the contents of the bag. She could hear his husky voice whispering them in her ear and anticipation made desire pool between her thighs.
Well, well, well. She looked at her flaming cheeks in the mirror and raised her eyebrows at herself. So, Sophia, what is it going to be?
Alistair suppressed a feral grin when many minutes later Sophia emerged from the bathroom wrapped in a bath robe with wide eyes and a telltale flush in her face.
She bit her lip and lowered her eyelids when she noticed his scorching gaze. A shiver raced through her and molten heat coursed through her veins.
His tsking called her attention. She saw his feet approaching, silent like a panther. She breathed in his masculine scent as her gaze climbed up his strong legs, skimming over his very hard arousal, his sculpted abdomen and chest, seeing the jagged ends of his long black hair touch his broad shoulders, stopping on those dark-pink lips that drove her wild. He was one of the most handsome men she had ever seen and she had an overwhelming hunger to pleasure him.
“Aye or nae?” His voice, deepened by passion and his thick accent, rumbled between them.
Sophia blinked, dazed by undiluted lust, and looked up.
Deliberately, he gripped her chin in his fingers.
“Yes,” she graveled showing her desire.
White hot pleasure made him groan. He stepped closed and bent his head. His hand on her face lowered in a languid caress to encircle her throat as the other untied the bath robe, pushing it away from her shoulders..
“You won’t regret it. I promise you,” he whispered on her lips before taking her mouth in a hungry kiss.
Alistair ran his hand over her shoulder then down her side and under her breast, cupping it in his hand, loving the velvet feel of her skin and how it filled his palm.
There was no part of his body that didn’t scream out for her. He slanted her head to deepen the kiss, enjoying the raspy sound of her breath. His fingers moved in between her thighs and he felt she was as aroused as he was. He wanted to pleasure her, but he also wanted those lips around him.
Cupping his hand around the back of her neck, he slowly, but firmly, eased her down. With his other hand, he circled his fingers around the base of his erection and guided it toward her waiting mouth.
Fuck. He groaned out loud and threw his head back with pleasure as her tongue slid over his length and her mouth engulfed him.
“So. Fucking. Good.” He tangled his hand in her raven hair, holding her in place as his hips jerked forward.
Sophia took him, her tongue swirling around the head and sucked, coaxing him deeper. Her tongue ran over the vein on the underside of his erection and her hand cupped his balls. She raised her eyes and the pleasure she saw on his face made her take him even deeper and faster.
She’s magnificent. He closed his eyes and clenched his jaw tight, enjoying the slick and hot caresses of her mouth. He wanted to come in her mouth, but he also wanted to taste her. With that in mind, he tugged her hair and ordered, “Up!”
She stood up and leaned on his body, her hands running over his thighs and arms to fist his hair and pull him down for a kiss.