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Sophie reached her hand out and curled it over her sister’s. The water lapped in the pool at their feet, making a rhythmic sound that was quite soporific. “I’m glad you’re here, Liv. I feel like we haven’t just hung out like this in such a long time.”
“I know. It’s been far too long.”
Alex paused at the edge of the paved area that led to the pool. His eyes briefly took in Olivia, and then slammed into Sophie. His gut twisted uncomfortably and acid formed in his throat. Her toes were pink, her skin tanned, and her hair silky. Even at this distance, he could catch a light hint of her sweet, vanilla fragrance, blowing to him on the afternoon breeze.
“It could only be better if Ava was here,” Olivia murmured, stretched on a small sigh, and then turned around to reach for the sunblock. Only she saw the man who was on the edges of the pool deck and she smiled. “You must be Alex.” She stood quickly and walked over to him, curiosity an actual force in her body.
“And with those eyes, I have no doubt you are my wife’s sister.”
His voice sent tremors of desire spiking through Sophie’s blood. She felt her veins pounding with heat, and her throat was parched. But outwardly, she tried her hardest to stay calm.
“Olivia Henderson. Please, call me Liv.”
“Liv,” he agreed, shaking her hand. “I must apologise for my rudeness. I had an urgent matter in New York I had to attend to.”
“New York.” She spun to Sophie. “You never said he was in New York.”
Sophie’s bitterness was profound. She hadn’t known. Alex hadn’t told her. “No, I didn’t.” She responded casually, as though her husband’s location didn’t matter to her one bit. She couldn’t put off greeting him any longer, but she wished fervently that her sister wasn’t there, acting as a curious audience. She stood reluctantly, and began to make her way towards him. Every step made her heart race faster. She was in love with him, but she was also as mad as hell. Her eyes clashed with his, and her pulse fired loudly.
“Mrs Petrides,” he murmured, moving towards her with his long stride, to close the distance. His expression was impossible to interpret. He lifted a hand to cup her cheek and lowered his head. His kiss was slow and it was desperate at the same time. Sophie felt her whole body electrify as though she’d been shocked, and she lifted her hands and tangled them in his dark hair. How easy it was to forget anything except Alex when he kissed her like that.
He pulled away from her but moved his mouth to her ear. His words were barely a whisper. “Kiss me like that and I will take you right here on deck, with no care for who might be watching.”
Colour darkened her cheeks and she stepped away from him as though stung. Olivia, watching the interaction with unashamed curiosity, arched a brow at her sister. “I was thinking of going for a walk. Alex, perhaps you could point me in the direction of the best paths.”
“I can take you, honey,” Sophie said quickly, her body and her mind all over the place. He was back. But she was still so angry with him. And yet she needed to speak to him. Her mind was firing like a cannon.
“No,” Olivia shook her head. “I have a few calls to make.”
“Then you can use Alex’s study.”
“No,” Olivia laughed. She lifted her gaze to Alex and winked. “I think I should make myself scarce for a while.” She scooped her book up from the lounger and lifted a hand in farewell. “I’ll see you for dinner.”
“Livvie,” Sophie called after her retreating back, but Liv onl
y lifted her hand back in the air and waved.
Sophie and Alex, then, were alone.
“I like your sister. She is … perceptive.”
“I wouldn’t have said so,” Sophie corrected peevishly.
His laugh was like warm caramel on her skin. She expelled a breath and forced herself to face him. “How was New York?”
“Exhausting,” he responded honestly. “I would have called, except …”
Sophie nodded quickly, but she didn’t believe him. “Don’t worry about it. I had Liv. We’ve been having a great time.”
He had no doubt, and yet her attitude bothered him. “Have you missed me at all?”
She lifted a hand and toyed with her necklace. She wanted to deny it, because she wasn’t sure he deserved her slavish devotion. But she found herself nodding. “Alex, I wanted to talk to you that day, but you’d left already.”
He nodded, his eyes dark in his face. “I needed to get out of here.”
“You were angry with me. And I’d like to know why.”
God, but she had gall! To put him on the spot and ask to know what had bothered him, when surely she knew how very wrong her behaviour was! “I am quite certain you already know why,” he drawled, reaching down and linking his fingers through hers. Warm heat travelled the length of her arm from where they were joined. She looked down at their clasped hands, as if she might see a source of heat, like flame or fire.
