AUTHOR’S POV
” Your check is on the dining room table, pick it up when you are done. And don’t you dare go into my wife’s room; I don’t want you looking through her closet.”
Sherwin Peters said disdainfully to Gil before picking up a coat and leaving.
Gil sent two middle fingers to his back and growled, ” Open your eyes, a**hole; your wife is cheating on you with a seventy-two-year-old horse rider.”
Gil sighed when he realized he was talking to himself. He raked his fingers through his hair and looked at the broken fence through the kitchen window.
” I need to get myself a real job. Joseph would also have if he existed in the 21st century.” He laughed at himself.
He was a worthless piece of shit. He thought. He couldn’t even hold one woman he’d like- lust for.
” Don’t think of her, Gil, she must be having an orgasm for that b**tard she was holding hands with. What man even paints his fingernails? He must have a really small- shut up Gil, that’s enough.”
He groaned and grabbed his toolbox, then went to the front yard and began to break off the old termite-infested fence.
He tried to listen to some music to get his mind off Sofia but every track and tune screamed her name. His lips tipped imagining her naked, body dripping with warm water, under a hot shower.
Gil slapped himself, ” Maybe she was right to leave me. Stupid. Dirty. Thoughts- But how the hell can I resist when she’s so damn gorgeous!”
Gil’s eyes followed a couple passing by, arms around each other’s waists. Lips to ear. Giggling.
Gil’s gaze lingered on them. It had been so long since he was in a relationship that wasn’t all about s! x. He craved late-night dinners and romantic touches. He craved being loved. Maybe Gabriel was right; he’d be lonely for the rest of his life if he didn’t give romance a try again.
After fifteen years of exploring the depth and corners of a woman’s body, Gil wondered how he didn’t have an STD yet.
Maybe there was still a good woman alive. Just maybe.
Maybe he could risk being heartbroken one last time. Sofia was worth the risk.
A smile broke on his lips and he took out his phone and wanted to call Sofia but stopped.
” Approach. Direct approach.”
He quickly got his job done and collected his check. It was dusk when he headed for Sofia’s. He saw a bouquet of roses in a flower shop on his way and decided to purchase it.
He breathed in the freshness, ” I don’t know what ladies see in flowers.”
By the time he’d reached Sofia’s house, the owls were hooting. His entire body tensed staring at her front door. He prayed she wasn’t with another guy. He prayed she still felt something light-hearted for him.
Drawing in a sharp breath, he said, ” You can do this. It wouldn’t be that hard-”
The front door opened interrupting him.
Sofia nearly crashed into him when trying to leave her house.
They both stared at each other with wide eyes, rose-colored cheeks, and fallen jaws.
Deciding to break the silence, Gil raised the flowers to her. ” Look… I got you… roses. Matches your uh… lips, I’m sorry I meant hair- um… hair…”
” Hair clip.” She completed for him, fighting back a smile.
” Yes, that. Here, please accept.”
Sofia ignored his gesture trying to grate on his nerves. She hadn’t seen him nervous before, I was the most amusing thing to watch.
” You didn’t bring your car? You are covered in snow.”
Gil looked at his snow-stained coat and back at her, ” Oh, I needed a walk. Flowers?”
He offered the to her again, his hand slightly shaking.
Sofia folded her arm around her chest and uttered, ” I was about to go for dinner before you interrupted; permission to leave?”
Gil’s smile dropped to the ground. Sofia was a good cook as far as he knew; she had all the equipment and ingredients in her home to cook a good dinner, so why then was she going out for dinner? She must be going out with that guy again.
Gil felt an aching in his heart, ” Alone?”
Sofia nodded, ” No, with a friend.”
” Your boyfriend you mean. ” He didn’t want to sound jealous but he couldn’t help it.
Sofia smiled and nodded again. ” Yes, my boyfriend. I don’t want to keep him waiting.”
She turned to the door and turned the keys, locking the door. When she turned to leave, a soft gasp escaped her lips when she saw Gil was barely three inches away from her. She blushed scarlet and looked at her feet.
” What boyfriend doesn’t pick his girlfriend up for a date?”
” It’s not necessary.”
” Mhm, really?” His palm traced up her neck before cupping her cheek.
Sofia twisted her head, biting her lips. Every single touch from him was uplifting; it made her bones weak and made her heart beat fast.
Gil’s dark eyes looked at her, ” Look at me, baby.”
Sofia swallowed. Her eyes slowly raised to meet his. Gil melted in her beauty and innocence. She looked rare. She was rare. One of a kind.
” Is he really your boyfriend? Do you have a boyfriend?” His tone begged her not to say yes.
Sofia didn’t say anything. She’d been hoping for him to come back and apologize and deny everything she had said. She didn’t know the man he was referring to, but she couldn’t possibly say yes to another man’s proposal when her heart and mind were on Gil.
She redirected his question, ” Do you?”
” I haven’t dated anyone in fifteen years baby, I don’t. But… tell me you don’t either and I’d be willing to compromise… only for you.”
Sofia smiled. Bright and breathtaking. She cupped his cheek and shook her head, ” No, I don’t, not when I’m still thinking of you.”
He kissed the center of her palm and smiled gloomily, ” I’m sorry about what I said and what I didn’t say. You are not a whore, you are not like those other women to me because none of them made me think about them every second of the day.”
Sofia’s eyes gained moisture. She stared at him unbelievably. She opened her mouth to speak but no words came out.
” You are a damsel. I’d like you to be my damsel if you want me to.”
He pulled back and put the roses I’m between them, ” From now on, I will try not to have s! x with you to prove I like you for the hardworking, breathtaking woman you are and not for your body.”
” Accept me, I’ll never break your heart l.” He stared at her, wishing she’d just accept the roses and stop making his heart pace so quickly.
Sofia finally gathered the strength to talk, an odd smile on her lips. ” I’d like to see you living peacefully without having s! x, it’d be fun.”
She chuckled, collected the flowers, and sniffed them. ” Very demure of you.”
Gil smirked. He took a step forward, grabbed her chin, and leaned in. ” Very mindful of you accepting it.”
He gave her a short kiss and wanted to pull away but couldn’t. He kissed her again and again. He’d miss feeling the plumpness of her lips on his. He didn’t want to pull away. She was an addiction. His addiction.
” Shit! This is torture.” He cupped her cheek and pressed his lips hotly against hers. She gave in without a second thought. He slid his tongue into her mouth tasting her. She tasted like caramel. A low moan escaped from her lips when his tongue licked her inner gums.
” Why are you so s**y?” He groaned and began to slide his hand under her shirt. His fingers traced every sensitive bud on her belly.
When his fingers brushed the under her breast, she let out a gasp. Gil realized he was going too far and quickly pulled away.
They both laughed and panted.
” I beg to reconsider my words.” He said jokingly.
” You promised so you’ll keep it that way.” Sofia pointed at him.
” It’s the cross I have to bear.”
” So, are you still going out for dinner?” He asked as she began to unlock the door.
” Actually, I wasn’t planning to.” She smiled teasingly.
He followed her in and asked, ” Christmas Eve is next weekend. Are you still up for Christmas on the yacht.”
He watched her as she placed the roses in a flower pot. She looked at him momentarily with a mischievous smile making him hot everywhere.
When she was done transplanting, she walked to him and wrapped an arm around his neck. ” Yes, I still am. Share a bed with me tonight.”
He thawed at her confidence he’d only seen when she lashed out at him. He thought she was hot when she was confident.
He breathed, ” I promised I wouldn’t touch you.”
” I know, but I would. That’s the fun part.”