“Don’t you believe it. If you keep hovering over Sophia, he might break your nose again. And it will be merited. Again.”
“The first time it wasn’t. It was Heather’s fault.”
“I know but you provoked-”
“Alice.” He thinned his lips for a second before saying, “Do you want to know the truth? Heather was more than a whore. She... They were perverted. She made a pass at me first. And since I didn’t accept... she hinted at Father. For a threesome with her or her sister. And Alistair.”
“Jesus, Tavish Uilleam. Alistair Connor proposed a threesome with his wife? That can’t be true.”
“No. Not him. She wanted it. That’s why I started to treat her like the whore she was. But I never had the heart to tell Alistair about it until recently. I didn’t deserve that punch.”
“I don’t know how, but she manipulated him into seeing only what she wanted him to see.”
“The truth is, he was putty in her hands. I don’t know why. But he was. That woman was a fucking good actress. And it seems, a good fuck, too. She-”
“Tavish Uilleam. Please.” Alice made a face at him, disgusted. “Back to Sophia and Alistair Connor. Don’t provoke him. Heather’s cheating turned him into a different man.” She sighed, “Did he ever talk to you?”
“Never. I bet he thinks we don’t even know about it.”
“That bitch. He was never the same.”
“No,” he shook his head slowly at his sister his gaze glued to Sophia’s back. “But I bet she can bring him back to us.”
The woman in front of him was completely different from any other his brother had ever had. But he couldn’t fathom what attracted Sophia to Alistair besides his good looks. She was too independent to enjoy being suffocated by Alistair’s dominant way.
“She’s an amazing horsewoman,” said Leonard trying to distract Alistair, who was almost foaming at the mouth with jealousy. “I didn’t know the vet had finish training that horse.”
Sophia had fallen in love with the beautiful, spirited horse at first sight and, not caring if it still wasn’t fully trained, demanded to ride it.
“She’s a witch. An enchantress,” Alistair avowed quietly as his powerful black Friesian stallion, Craigdale Beast, bucked, finding his owner’s unnerved state unusual. Alistair was too proud to admit, even to himself, that he resented his brother’s stare, that his distrust ran so deep that he felt insecure.
As if she could feel his need, Sophia turned and flashed him a shining smile, motioning with her head for him to join them. In a heartbeat, he was spellbound. Not only by her beauty, but also by her perfect timing.
And just like that, Alistair forgot his jealousy.
He inhaled deep as strange sensations filled him. Pride, desire, love. Hypnotized, he spurred his horse to flank Sophia, leaving a smiling Leonard behind.
9.53 p.m.
“Tonight, I want to surprise you,” Alistair murmured in Sophia’s ear as they moved from the dining room to the library. He paused at the door and whirled her in his arms, “Will you let me?”
Sophia looked up at his handsome face, searching for a clue, “A hint, please?”
His smile was sensuous and dark. “Blindfolds, ties and something more.”
“Mmm. Seems interesting,” she whispered on his lips and pulled him by the hand to enter the library where Lachlann was settling in for a game of chess with Leonard.
“Do you play, Sophia?” Alice asked while she sat with Tavish at another table. “We could have a tournament.”
“I only know the basics. I’d lose for sure.” She looked around the library and spotted a marble table for backgammon in the far corner. She craned her neck to look at Alistair and rubbed her hands together with a devious glint in her eyes. “Backgammon?”
“Depends on the prize, my lady,” he bowed.
“Choose.” You’re not going to win.
“You know what I want,” he spoke, his deep voice. As she shook her head, he bent and breathed in her ear, “Your ass. Two fingers, this time.”
She shuddered, uncertain, but forged on, “And if I win?”
“Choose,” he shrugged, confident. You’re not going to win.
She smiled mischievously at him, stood on her tiptoes and whispered back in his ear, “Your ass. One finger this time.”
Of course not. Alistair stood there transfixed by her proposition.
“Deal?” She tilted her head to the side, studying his face, and taunted, “Afraid, my lord?”
Aye. Not exactly a turn on for me, my lady. “But...” You know how to push my buttons, don’t you, Sophia? But you don’t know whom you’re dealing with. I’m the backgammon champion in the family. “Why don’t you chose another prize?” he smirked at her, schooling his features.
“Chicken,” she bit out softly.
Sophia. Don’t challenge me. He scowled down at her.
She shrugged, “You want mine, I’ll have yours.”
Difficult woman! “Best out of three?”
She nodded.
“But the prize won’t be collected tonight. I have other plans.”
“Deal.”
“Deal.” He stretched his hand to seal the deal. However the victorious smile that graced her face as she shook his hand, left him wondering if he had made the right choice.
The silence in the room was ominous. Alistair was unsettled. Sophia was a very good player. They were even and she was already winning the last game.
Sophia drank her whisky and rattled the dice in the leather cup, slowly, enjoying the tension. With a deft flick of her hand, she threw them on the center of the table and drummed her nails on the marble, studying the possibilities. She moved her checkers and left a blot with the deliberate intention of it being hit by Alistair, yielding his point.
“Tempt? When you are almost ready to bear off? You don’t need this.” Alistair lifted an ink-black eyebrow at her and she lifted one of hers back at him. “Are you sure?”
I want to win with backgammon. “Makes the game even more interesting.” She flashed her avenging angel smile at him. “I double the stakes,” she turned the doubling cube to two. And, wiggling her brows, put up two united fingers.
I’m calling your bluff, Sophia. “Take it. And beaver.” He turned the doubling cube from two to four, with a devious smile.
Sure of yourself, uh? You’re going to lose this game, Alistair Connor. “Ready for raccoon?” She picked up the cube, waiting for his answer.
Not bluffing? Hmm. He surveyed the table, licked his lips, uncertain, then nodded. She put it down with the eight facing up.
“How much was the initial bet?” Lachlann, who was perched on a chair beside Sophia, asked her.
Sophia bursted out laughing, embarrassed, and asked Alistair with her eyes as to what she should answer.
“We didn’t bet money,” he answered his father, cryptically.
“Roll your dice, Alistair Connor,” Tavish coached, hovering over Alistair’s shoulder. “This game is just getting interesting.”
Alistair rattled the dice in the cup and put it down on the table, praying for fours or fives, but a four-five would do too.
Sophia toed off one of her pumps and, with her stockinged foot, pushed up the hem of Alistair’s wool trousers, caressing his shin. He inhaled sharply and lost track of what he was doing, his eyes flying up to lock with hers. She had an amused look on her face.