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“I wanted you.”
“I wanted you, too,” Sophie breathes. “Still, you were awfully sure of yourself.”
“I think you proved I had a reason to be.”
“I can’t argue with that.” She wobbles and reaches out for my hand with a hiss. “Ouch!”
“What?” I stop, looking on with concern.
“I just stepped on a rock.”
A glance down tells me her feet are bare. “Where are your flip-flops?”
“I don’t know. They fell off somewhere near the swing.”
Damn it. The path ahead is too rocky for her to go on. “Stay here. I’ll get them. I don’t want you to hurt yourself.”
“Thanks. I didn’t realize how rocky this path is.”
I hate to leave her alone for even as long as it takes to fetch the flip-flops. But if I don’t, her feet won’t be thanking either of us later.
With a quick jog, I reach the swing again, toeing the discarded condom under a bush while searching for the sandals. Finally, I find the rubbery pink soles with the black glittery straps and scoop them up, then turn back for the cottage. Behind me, more fireworks explode overhead, but I don’t mind missing out. The pyrotechnics I want are waiting for me with Sophie.
I never imagined when I woke up this morning that I’d be Sophie Larsen’s lover and losing my heart to her by nightfall. But there’s no going back now—for either of us.
Shelving the rest of my philosophical thoughts, I lengthen my steps up the hill to get back to her side. At the top, I spot her silhouette standing in the moonlight, but she’s not alone.
Someone stands beside Sophie with a cruel grip on her arm and a gun pointed at her head.
Sophie
As Rand disappears down the hill to find my shoes, I fight a loopy grin.
I’m in love.
Yes, it sounds crazy, even to me—and I’m living this reality. But Rand has been everything I’ve wanted in a man and a partner since the moment we met. The instant zing was a clue. The way we naturally worked to solve problems together hinted that we share something special. And the sex… I let out a long sigh because I’ve never felt pleasure like that in my life. I never even dreamed it was possible.
But now what? We havereallydifferent lives.
How do we tackle that?
I’ve been thinking for a while that I don’t want to spend the rest of my life in the spotlight. I miss having a real home, but if Rand is in the picture? I can’t drag him from concert to concert or ask him to wait at home alone. And what if we have kids? I’d like to someday.
Oh, my gosh. You met this guy today, and you’re already thinking marriage and babies?
Okay, I’m probably getting ahead of myself. I need to downshift and—
Suddenly, a clicking noise sounds behind me and I feel something cold against the back of my skull. “Hello, Sophie.”
I know that voice, just like I know what’s prodding my scalp. My heart trips into overdrive. “Why are you holding a gun to my head, Dorinda?”
“The answer should be obvious since I tried to have you killed this morning. I made sure Rob’s food got poisoned last night, so I assumed you’d be easy for my hired gunman to pick off.” She sighs. “I didn’t count on you having another bodyguard to save you. But today proves that when you want something done right, do it yourself.”
Panic sets in. If Dorinda says she’s going to do something, she damn well follows through.
If I let her, I’ll be dead.
“Wait! Why?” I demand to stall. “You’re still making money off of me.”
