Sophia chuckled and pushed his chest again but he didn’t budge. “Alistair. Stop!”
He lifted his head for a second, “I’ll solve your time problem.” And moved to the other breast.
Sophia, who had already melted in his arms, moaned, “How?”
“Munro can take you and bring you back,” he told her between kisses spread on her stomach, heading down. “Ten, fifteen minutes tops.” His fingers hooked the sides of her panties and pushed them down her legs as his mouth hovered just inches from her almost bare mons. He paused and looked at her, “What do you think?”
She opened her yellow diamond eyes, and ordered, putting a leg over his shoulder, “Stop talking and start kissing.”
His masculine, deep chuckle filled the room accompanied by her pleasure moan while their breakfast got cold in the dining room.
Leibowitz Oil Building.
12.19 p.m.
Sophia’s phone buzzed from an incoming WhatsApp message. She looked at the screen and smiled.
I’m-so-handsome-and-I-know-it: I can still taste you in my mouth. Hmm. I’m hungry. I want a special delivery.
Sophia: Don’t you have to work?
I’m-so-handsome-and-I-know-it: I’m signing a huge new contract. Have lunch with me to celebrate.
Sophia: Sorry, my dear. I can’t. Lots of work. 
I’m-so-handsome-and-I-know-it:
Sophia: I promise a feast 4 you this evening.
I’m-so-handsome-and-I-know-it: I can’t wait. Love you.
Sophia looked at the last two words and her heart beat fast, too fast, in her chest. I love you, you say, Alistair Connor. What are you expecting to hear from me?
Sophia: See you at six.
No more answers came, Sophia could almost bet the green eyes she so admired were not sparkling any more. It pained her but she wasn’t ready yet to say the same to him.
12.36 p.m.
“Mrs. L., Mr. Ashford is on your private line,” Sarah said through the intercom.
“Oh, damn,” Sophia muttered under her breath. “Please, Sarah, tell him I’m very busy. That I’ll-”
An impatient knock on the door interrupted her as Sarah explained, “Mr. Davidoff asks if you can receive him and Mrs. Chanda, Mrs. L..”
Sophia unlocked her door and huffed, “What a day! Sarah, please tell Mr. Ashford I can’t-”
“You can,” interrupted Edward as he entered her office with Zahira Chanda, the president of her foundation. “Take Ashford’s call.” Turning to Zahira he said, “We arrived just in time.”
“What?” Sophia frowned at Edward’s cryptic remark. “Hold on for a sec, Sarah, please.”
Zahira Chanda, a pleasant and calm middle-aged Indian woman, who always dressed in silk saris no matter the weather, approached Sophia’s desk and placed on it an enormous envelope with the Ashford Steel logo stamped in black and silver on the top left corner. It was addressed to Sophia Leibowitz’s Foundation for Women and Children, Mrs. Zahira Chanda, President. “Mrs. L., he wants to make a huge contribution to the foundation. Let’s hear what he has to say.”
He won’t say it on the phone. You don’t know him, Zahira. Sophia raised her brows and sighed. “Okay. Put him through, Sarah, please. Hello, Ethan.”
“Sophia, darling, how are you?” Ethan’s beautiful baritone voice came through clearly over the speaker as Zahira and Edward sat across from Sophia.
“I’m fine, thanks. And you?” Sophia pulled out a black leather folder with the Ashford Steel logo in intaglio containing a presentation of a business plan. A cordial letter signed by Ethan began the document.
“Better now. Sophia, I’m calling because Ashford Steel has recently redone its tax plan for the upcoming year and we need a foundation to invest in. You know the drill,” he explained. “I remembered that you have one. Perhaps you can accommodate us.”
Sophia bit her lip for a second, quickly scanning the papers he had sent and hummed noncommittally, “Mmm, perhaps. Could you explain the proposal a bit more, please?”
“Yes, of course. Are you free for lunch? You and I,” he loaded the words with strength, “can discuss it over a good bottle of champagne to celebrate our new partnership.”
Immediately, Edward bobbed his head at her and whispered, “It’s worth it, Sophia. Accept.”
Changing sides, Brutus? Sophia eyed Edward, then Zahira, who nodded, too. “Yes, you’re lucky. I’m free.” And pressing the mute button for a split second, she asked Edward and Zahira, “How much is it worth?”
Edward put his two hands up and motioned them five times. Sophia made a face at him, not understanding, and threw a notepad and a pen over her desk to him.
“Great. Can I pick you up in... Let’s say half an hour?”
Sophia glanced at the Rolex Ethan had given her. A quarter to one. Lunch with Ethan always takes time. Hmm. “Ethan, if it’s possible, I’d prefer in an hour. I have a few matters to resolve and we’ll be able to discuss the issue without pressure.” Yeah, and this way I can discuss the proposal with Zahira and Edward first.
Edward snapped his fingers at Sophia and raised the sheet for her to see. It said:
£ 50 mm to start with
Sophia’s jaw fell open. She couldn’t believe the number. It was a huge contribution for a single firm.
“Of course, baby. I know a great place, a surprise.” Ethan said.
And to start with? What’s that supposed to mean? “O-okay,” she breathed.
“I’ll pick you up in forty-five minutes.”
Sophia sighed and rolled her eyes heavenward. “All right, then. See you downstairs in forty-five minutes.”
“I can’t wait, baby.” His sensual baritone voice rang in the room after he ended the call, sending a thrill down Sophia’s spine.
She put the handset in its cradle and blinked at Zahira and Edward, “Are you serious? Fifty-million pounds to start with? There must be a mistake, Zahira. Perhaps it’s five million?”
The smile Zahira bestowed on Sophia left no margin for doubt. Ashford Steel was donating fifty-million pounds to her foundation. To start with.
“How can this be?” Sophia couldn’t believe it yet.
Edward got out of his chair and circled Sophia’s desk, pausing near her iMac, “Type Ashford Steel balance sheet and look for its profit.”
Sophia inhaled deep as the ten zero figure appeared on the screen. “My goodness. He has made a huge profit this year. But why doesn’t he direct it to his foundation?”
“Ashford Steel doesn’t have a foundation, nor does Ashford individually. He always makes donations to others,” Edward explained. “From the research I asked the legal department to do, Ashford prefers to concentrate on his business and leave charity to those he thinks are more apt.”
Zahira flanked Sophia and showed her a chapter in the plan. “Look here, Mrs. L., he always makes donations to foundations that protect children. All over the world. Since the donation is so large, he would like to have a say in how it is allocated. He is proposing it be shared, with a portion for India and China, where Ashford Steel has branches, and the rest we would decide. It’s beautifully designed to fit both his and our goals.” Zahira’s dark brown eyes were twinkling.
“A lawyer from Ashford Steel, Mr. Ronald Carter, called us yesterday, after you left, asking for a meeting,” Edward was excited. “It’s fantastic, Sophia.”
Zahira finished the explanation, “Mr. Carter brought this in personally this morning and gave us a lengthy explanation.”