Sleepless in Savannah (29 page)

Quickly collecting herself, Sophie gathered her purse, a big straw bag that she slung over one shoulder. "Do you still want to go out?"

The subtle worry in her tone triggered his protective instincts. He closed the distance between them, gently cradled her face in his hands, and pressed a kiss to her lips. "Yes, I want this day to be special."

Sophie squeezed his hands in hers and smiled. "So do I. I don't want anything to spoil it, especially an old acquaintance."

Lance nodded and followed her to the door. Was that all the milksop was? An old acquaintance? Or had he once been Sophie's lover?

If so, Lance intended to extinguish any lingering memory of the other man's hands on her body or his presence in her life.

And he did his best to do that as they strolled from one antique shop to the other.

Their first stop was the Arts and Crafts Emporium of Savannah, which showcased unusual artwork contributed by locals. Sophie gushed over a pair of hand-painted earrings made of crystals, so he bought them for her, his body stirring with desire when she allowed him to actually slide the earrings into the holes in her ears.

He must be too far gone for help if putting a pair of earrings on a woman turned him on.

Then again, he was sleep-deprived.

"Thank you, Lance; that's the first time a man has ever bought me jewelry." Sophie kissed him on the lips, her fragrance so enticing he wanted to take her right there. "And no man has ever taken me antiquing."

"I'm enjoying it," he said, thinking that last year he would have rather had his teeth yanked out with pliers than spend a Saturday afternoon traipsing through old dusty corridors and stacks of used furniture. Still, with Sophie, he didn't mind.

He wanted to be her first at a lot of things.

The thought momentarily panicked him, and he remembered his fear of losing his singlehood, purse holding all day while his wife shopped. But he wasn't purse holding, or getting married. He was simply dating Sophie. Seeing where and how they might fit in each other's lives.

After all, his attempt to avoid her had failed miserably.

Actually, he had a feeling they would fit together perfectly, at least in one way. Maybe in a lot more. They shared the same tastes in furniture, and although Sophie was a neatnik, she didn't choose items for their monetary value, but appeared to be interested in history and more sentimental pieces. That part surprised him. He'd expected more contemporary tastes, more expensive needs....

They combed through a half dozen antique shops, laughing at old books and statues and a few children's toys that made Lance's heart squeeze. He'd had a little red wagon when he was a boy. He'd passed it to Reid, then Maddie. Maybe Maddie would have a child someday for them to pass it on to next.

Would he ever have one?

Sophie squealed over a French antique bracelet she discovered, cutting into his disturbing thoughts. "I'm going to buy this for Maddie as a thank-you gift for helping with the remodeling."

"She'll love it," Lance said. Maddie loved jewelry. She especially treasured the necklace their mother had left her.

After Sophie paid for it, they scavenged through a shop full of eighteenth-and nineteenth-century heirlooms, everything from porcelain and glass trivets, dressers, armoires, and art. Sophie raved over an old-fashioned Victoria that played while browsers lingered.

After they left the antique shops, they sampled homemade fudge from the chocolate shop and sipped on freshly squeezed lemonade while they crossed the street to the City Market. "My feet are killing me." Sophie paused to shake a pebble from her sandal.

"No problem." Lance had arranged for a pedicab to pick them up and drive them over to where the cruise boat docked.

"This has been a wonderful day." Sophie tightened her fingers around his.

"I'm glad you're enjoying yourself." And so was he. For the first time in years he felt lighter, less troubled. Except for the deal with McDaniels. First thing Monday morning he would knock on the man's door.

And he wouldn't take no for an answer.

But tonight was all about romancing Sophie.

* * *

Sophie had never been so romanced in her life. A thousand stars glittered above them in the inky sky as they climbed aboard the
Savannah River Queen.
Lance twined her fingers in his as they walked the ship, admiring the view of Savannah before taking off. Minutes later the ship cast away from shore, and they joined the other tourists for a romantic candlelit dinner. Folksy blues music floated around them and added romance to the evening's ambience.

Sophie sipped a martini and leaned into Lance's arms as the wind ruffled her hair. "This day has been spectacular."

"Have you taken one of these cruises before?"

Sophie shook her head. "It's hard to believe I've been in Savannah this long when there are so many things I haven't experienced."

"I grew up here, but I've never done a lot of the tourist things," Lance admitted. "And I didn't pay much attention to history and stuff like that in school."

"You weren't a good student?"

Lance's low chuckle reverberated through the wind. "Hardly. I'm sure Maddie's filled your ears with stories about me and Reid and Chase. The Terrible Three."

"Actually, she made you sound pretty wonderful." One reason Sophie had fallen in love with him. But she bit back the words, knowing Lance wasn't prepared to hear them. Would he ever be?

He nuzzled her neck. "What about you—were you a good student?"

Sophie smiled to herself. "A regular bookworm."

"Why am I not surprised? You're perfect now; you were perfect back then."

Sophie swallowed, uncomfortable. "I'm not perfect, Lance."

"Really?" He nibbled at her ear. "Tell me one bad thing you did."

She'd kicked one of Deseree's boyfriends in the shin because she hadn't liked his mullet haircut, but she didn't particularly want to share that experience. "I took Maddie to that nudist colony last year."

"I know and that about near drove me and the guys crazy." He growled and stiffened, then relaxed. "But I didn't mean last year; I meant as a kid."

"My childhood wasn't very interesting, Lance. We moved around a lot. That's one reason having a place to call home is so important to me."

"Makes sense."

The band slowed down to a love song, and people filtered onto the dance floor. Lance took her hand. "Dance with me."

Sophie nodded, grateful for the reprieve from sharing her past as she slipped into his arms. Their bodies swayed together seductively, every step and move heightening their awareness of each other.

Sophie didn't want the romantic cruise to end, yet at the same time she counted the minutes.
Something to look forward to.

Nothing would ruin the night—no Peter, no Lucy, no Deseree. Nothing.

Not even the ghosts in the attic or the ghosts from her past.

Chapter 18

By the time they arrived at Sophie's, Lance and Sophie were pawing at each other's clothes. "Do you want coffee?" Sophie whispered as he pulled at her tank top.

"No, nothing except you."

Her top landed on the foyer table, her skirt a puddle near the first step in the hallway, his shirt and jeans tossed somewhere along the staircase as they kissed and climbed toward Sophie's room and sweet oblivion.

Lance felt intoxicated from her heady kisses, his body thrumming with hunger at every soft moan and nibble of her mouth on his body. Sophie dragged him into her bedroom, but he hesitated, wondering if he was moving too fast.

Jazzy lay in the center of her bed, with that same snarl.

"Baby, you have to go out now." Without blinking, Sophie lifted the cat and set her outside the door, then shut them into their own private cocoon.

Ridiculous relief filled him that Sophie hadn't chosen her cat over him. Then Lance feasted on her near nakedness, a surge of emotion engulfing him at the look of unbridled passion in her eyes.

Sophie's nipples beaded at his hungry appraisal. "All day I've been thinking about what you said last night about anticipation."

Lance chuckled and reached for her bra strap, sliding it down inch by inch. "Honey, I didn't sleep a wink last night for imagining being with you."

Seconds later her glorious breasts bounced into view. Lance claimed his prize, torturing her again with slow, erotic kisses on her mouth and neck before dipping below to feast on the soft mounds of her breasts. Sophie wiggled and clung to him, moaning and tossing her head back in wild abandon.

Then he was kissing lower, trailing hot, fiery need in the wake of his tongue's delicious dance until he had her naked. He pushed her back on the mountain of pillows, crawling above her to slide his body against hers in torture. Sophie writhed and tugged at his boxers until he flung them to the floor. Then they lay naked, entwined in each other's arms. His erection pulsed between her thighs, aching for home, but he didn't want to rush the pleasure, so he stroked her folds with the tip, his heart pumping wildly at the way she thrust her hips in a plea for completion.

She flipped him over and Lance lay stunned as she coaxed his hands away, then climbed on top of him. Giving him a sassy look of pure feminine attitude, she lowered her head and teased him with her tongue the way he had her, starting with his mouth, then trailing hot kisses down his chest. She even paused and tortured his nipples, biting at them until he bucked up and nearly came. He groaned and tried to lift her, but she slid down his body and traced her tongue along the tip of his sex. His body damn near convulsed off the bed.

"Sophie, hon—"

"Shh, just enjoy."

A second later she'd taken him in her mouth, and he thought he would explode. He allowed himself only the briefest of pleasure before he stopped the torment by reversing their positions. Beneath him, she stared up at his face, breathless, her cheeks red with heat. He looked into her fiery green eyes then and knew he was lost, but he didn't care.

He sank himself inside her, thrusting gently until he filled her, cupping her hips into his palms and urging them closer together, until they were one. Sophie's moan of pleasure tore through the silence, their bated breaths splintering the tension as he rocked inside her. His tongue danced with hers as their bodies slapped together. Harder, deeper, faster, he moved them toward the gates of heaven until he felt Sophie's insides quivering with the first spasms of release. Then he drove himself harder, deeper, faster, claiming her mouth with his and letting his hands play along her breasts, riding out the storm until they both lay sated in each other's arms, breathless and elated.

* * *

Sophie settled into Lance's embrace, her body singing with joy, her heart bursting with love. He curved his arms around her, one of his legs thrown across hers, and she draped an arm over his chest, snuggling against him as they both fell asleep.

Sometime in the early hours of the morning, she woke to feel his lips trailing kisses along her face. She giggled and kissed him back, instantly coming awake with sensations when he climbed above her and slid inside her again. This time their joining was both gentle and quick, but so sweet that tears pressed against her eyelids. Then once again he cradled her in his arms as they fell into a blissful sleep.

Breakfast in bed a few hours later turned into a tempting feast of food and coffee and lovemaking. Afterward, they lay in bed and leisurely read the morning paper together.

"I should get up and work on the floors today," Lance said.

"But you look so comfortable."

"I am." Lance hugged her to him. "That's the best night's sleep I've had in weeks. But there's still a lot of work left to do on the renovations."

"You're not in a hurry to finish my house, are you?"

He chuckled and dropped a kiss on her nose. "Yes and no. I'm anxious to see the finished product, but I like hanging around here."

It was as much of an admission as she supposed she would get. Would a few more dates convince him that they belonged together forever?

"Then let's just hang out today."

He nuzzled her neck. "All right. We could go over to Tybee Island, take a picnic, charter one of the boats and see the marshland, eat at Williams Seafood."

"Is that one of the dates in the balloons?"

Lance nodded. "The yellow one."

Sophie kissed him. "Sounds perfect."

"Good, and while we lie on the beach, you can tell me more about yourself." Lance fingered a strand of hair from her forehead. "I want to know all about you, Sophie."

Sophie hesitated. "What kind of things do you want to know?"

"You've never talked about your family." He laid the paper aside and threw an arm around her. "Or how you came to Savannah to work on the show, what you did before."

Sophie clutched the covers, anxiety clawing at her as she struggled with how to answer him. The telephone trilled, sidetracking them both. Hoping it wasn't Peter or Deseree or George or Rory, she checked the caller ID. Maddie.

Sophie grabbed the phone, then pulled on a silky robe and sat cross-legged on the bed beside Lance. His hand moved to massage her neck, and she stifled a groan, then whispered for him to stop. "Hey, Maddie, what's up?"