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Chapter Ten
Connor
I woke up with an aching back and an erection. My arms were wrapped around Sophie’s curvy body as I laid on my back with her head on my shoulder and her leg hitched over my hips. She was lightly snoring, which was cute as hell, and I found myself smiling as a tender feeling filled my chest.
I’d never felt like this about a woman before. I was really starting to care about Sophie, and it wasn’t just physical. I couldn’t believe that I’d been working with this incredible woman every day for a year, and I’d had no idea how amazing she was.
I felt like I wasted so much time holding myself back, influenced by the disaster that I saw my dad inflict on his own life and family because he chased after his assistants.
I swore I’d never be like him, but I instinctively knew this situation wasn’t like my father’s philandering ways. There was something real and special between Sophie and me. It just had taken being stranded with her in a cabin to make me realize that my desire for her went far beyond just physical attraction.
I stayed in bed for a while, running my hand up and down her back. In this moment, there was nothing but peace and contentment inside me, and I couldn’t help but wonder if that was because of where we were, or if it would feel exactly like this to wake up with her every morning.
Or maybe it was just because it was Christmas day and I was feeling sentimental.
With that thought, I slowly got out of bed, not having to worry too much about waking Sophie up. She was a heavy sleeper. I made my way into the bathroom, turning on the hot water in the shower stall, and stripped down while steam filled the small space. When I stepped under the spray, I let out a small, grateful groan.
I’d pushed myself too hard yesterday, and my back and arm muscles were letting me know it. I couldn’t help myself after Sophie cut her hand. It felt like an ugly reminder that this wasn’t just some cozy vacation that we chose to take. I’d been enjoying myself, secretly hoping that no one came for us for a couple of days so we’d have more time alone together, but the truth was that we were cut off from healthcare and anything else that was necessary.
I cared too much about Sophie to keep her here selfishly.
I knew that I should go back out into the snowy elements and keep digging, but I could have sworn that my muscles throbbed in protest at the mere thought. Besides, how much would I get done while I was this sore?Andit was Christmas.
I knew that I was just trying to talk myself into taking it easy today, and it worked.
I stayed in the shower for a long time, hoping the heat from the water would ease the aching in my body, and by the time I got out, the water was turning cold. After putting my dry clothes back on, I stepped out of the bathroom and saw that Sophie was still out, laying spread-eagle on her stomach on the bed.
I chuckled softly, flooded with more affection for her. Damn, this woman was winning me over without even trying. Going to the closet where I’d retrieved the shovel yesterday, I grabbed a box that I’d spotted on a shelf. It was a chess set, and when I took it to the coffee table and opened it, I was happy to see that all the pieces were there. Setting up the board, I went to the kitchen and started whipping up some oatmeal.
I heard the bed springs squeak and glanced over to see Sophie sitting up in the bed, her hair a rat’s nest on top of her head as she raised her hands over her head in a full-body stretch that caused her shirt to rise up and exposed her flat stomach.
“Morning,” she said sleepily.
“Merry Christmas.”
“Are you making breakfast?” she asked, getting out of bed and walking over to see what I was stirring.
“Yep. Gourmet oatmeal,” I said with a chuckle. “Sorry, it’s basically all we have.”
When the oatmeal was ready, we went to the couch with our bowls. Sophie paused when she caught sight of the chess board, raising a questioning eyebrow at me.
“You up for a game?” I asked, grabbing a pillow off the couch and moving it to the floor so that I could take a seat on the other side of the coffee table.
She settled opposite of where I was sitting. “Sure, but I have to warn you, I’m pretty good at playing chess.”
“Well, to be honest, Ididcome in second at the St. Louis chess tournament when I was fifteen years old.”
“Oh, I didn’t know you were a nerd,” she said with a teasing grin.
I laughed as she made her first move. I’d given her the white pieces, and she slid one of her pawns forward two spaces.
I countered her move with one of my own. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were trying to get into my head with a comment like that.”
“Chess is a game of strategy, boss,” she said, flashing me a cheeky grin. “I’ll take whatever advantage I can get.”
We ate and played, and I quickly realized that I was rusty. It had been years since I’d had time to hone my skills. It had seemed like a good idea to break out the game since there wasn’t much to do here, and I honestly expected an easy win, but I was starting to realize that I’d greatly underestimated my opponent. Sophie was more than keeping up with me, and when she stole my queen, I stared at her suspiciously.
“What?” she asked, a little too innocently. “Did I forget to mention that my college had a competitive chess team and that I joined my freshman year?”
