“Don’t you think it’s time you stop trying to protect me from myself? The restaurant was a good investment. I just got in too deep.”
Alex refrained from reminding his brother that living way above his means would always get him in too deep. Six years earlier, he had bought out Damon’s and Elaine’s shares of the company, and neither one had a dime left of their substantial inheritance. Alex would have given in to pressure to sell the estate, too, only he’d promised his father he would look out for his stepfamily. Problem was, they didn’t want his help. They wanted unconditional access to his money.
“You come talk to me after the wedding and we’ll discuss this again.”
Damon slumped forward in the chair. “Why wait? You always said you’d sell when one of us got married.”
“And I will, when you’re married. Call it my wedding present to the two of you.” Alex was relatively sure his brother wouldn’t be collecting on the gift. But if he was wrong...? He wasn’t ready to contemplate the answer.
Two
Sophie slowly opened her eyes. Disoriented, she stared for a few groggy seconds before she realized the white tile ceiling was not her own. After stretching the last of the sleep from her body, she slid her legs over the edge of the bed. How long had she been asleep? A glance out the window gave her the answer. The flaming sun hovered just above the horizon. The long car ride must have wiped her out. It had to be close to eight o’clock.
Why hadn’t Damon called her for dinner?
She shed her wrinkled clothes in favor of a pair of black jeans and pale yellow blouse and ran a brush through her hair. She hoped her absence from dinner hadn’t been taken as an insult.
As she stepped into the hall, she was surprised by the quiet. No music or sounds of television. Not even the drifting hums of conversation could be heard. Where was everybody? The clack of her sandals echoed off the high walls. As she descended the stairs, she repressed the urge to hop on the solid oak banister and ride to the bottom.
The only signs of life seemed to be coming from the kitchen. She entered the room to find the butler and an older woman enjoying a cup of coffee. They both rose quickly to their feet.
“I’m sorry,” Sophie stammered. “I guess I missed dinner.”
“Master Damon said you weren’t to be disturbed,” the butler said. “I’ll have Cook bring a plate to the dining room for you.”
It was bad enough she had rudely slept through her hosts’ evening meal, she wasn’t about to have the staff go out of their way on her behalf. “I’m not hungry. Where is Damon?”
“He went to the club with his mother for a while. Master Alexander is around somewhere. Would you like me to find him?” Such formality seemed more suited to a feudal system. Did the family always demand such propriety?
“No. I’ll just grab an apple or two and take a walk around.”
“As you like, miss.”
“Sophie,” she corrected.
She swiped two Granny Smiths from the counter and slipped out the back door. The air, clean and fresh from the earlier rain, cooled her skin. She leaned against the stone facade of the house and ate one of the tart apples to relieve the growling in her stomach. Her hunger sated, she began exploring the well-manicured grounds.
Red and white rosebushes ran the outside perimeter of the house. She stroked her fingers over the velvety petals and inhaled the floral scent. Such beauty hidden from the rest of the world, she thought.
The deep purple sky silhouetted a stable and paddock in the distance. She sprinted down the driveway, past the six-car garage and along the worn path to the open door. The wooden building smelled of hay, manure and saddle soap, reminding her of the caravan days of childhood she had spent with her mother. An odd sensation, like a low-voltage shock, ran though her as she stepped inside.
Brass lanterns lit the interior with muted light. The horses shifted nervously at the entrance of a stranger. A chestnut bay poked his nose out of the stall.
“Hello there, fellow.” She stroked the hair at his forehead. He snorted and bit the apple out of her hand that rested on top of the gate. “Hey, you big thief. That was my dinner.”
He nudged her shoulder.
“Too late, you beggar. I ate the other one.”
She raised to her toes and the animal nuzzled its head against her shoulder. “So, what do you do for fun around here? I know. Not much you can do when you’re closed in by four walls. I quite understand how you feel.”
She scooted down the concrete center aisle to the next stall. “Hey, girl. Don’t be shy.” She extended her hand and waited for the Appaloosa to come to her. The horse’s eyes looked sad and lonely.
“So, what’s your problem?” Sophie glanced toward the bay, then back. “Your boyfriend? Just a friend, you say. You have your eye on the Arabian stud?” She sighed. “Stay away from the wild ones. They’ll break your heart every time.”
The animal’s ears perked up and she tapped her hoof several times.
“Feeling restless? Why don’t I open all the gates and we’ll make a run for it?”
“You’ll never clear the wall.”
At the sound of Alex’s deep voice, Sophie’s breath caught in her throat. She wiped her hands along her jeans and turned to face him. He was leaning against the wall behind her, his arms folded casually over the wide expanse of his chest. A blatantly sexual grin lifted the corners of his mouth.
“Master Alexander. Please except my humble apologies for missing dinner this evening.”
He let out a hearty chuckle. “An apology’s not necessary, and call me Alex. I’ve been trying to stop William for the past twenty-five years, but he insists on the formal title.”
“Okay. Alex.”
A long silence followed. A few sentences with the man and she had run out of conversation. Her body, on the other hand, had just begun to state its case. Her pulse beat a little faster, her stomach fluttered, and a warm tingling sensation washed over her.
Her conscience warned her to tell him the truth, but she remained silent. The money Damon would donate to the youth center was one reason, but not the only one. This intense and irrational attraction left her confused, an emotion that led to foolish mistakes. She needed the protection her sham engagement afforded her until she figured out how to control the carnal impulses Alex’s nearness inspired.
A shove to her back sent her stumbling forward. She steadied herself by grabbing onto Alex’s shoulders. His hands came up to encircle her waist.
“What the heck...” She glanced back to see the Appaloosa shaking her head.
“Now, now, Delilah. She’s Damon’s woman. No matchmaking.”
“Is that what she’s doing?” The animal had good aim—and even better instincts, Sophie decided.
She held on to Alex longer than necessary. While her mind willed her to step back to regain her senses, her body begged her to stay put, surrounded by warmth, protected by strength.
Reason prevailed and she wriggled out of his arms. “Sorry.”
“So, you want to make a break from this place already?” He reached into his vest pocket for a sugar cube and offered it to Delilah.
Sophie stood next to him and scratched the animal behind the ear. “I was just making conversation with them.”