There's Always Tomorrow (Immortal Series) (9 page)

“I need some
air,” he growled.

Sophie quieted,
but her smile blossomed all over her delightful face.
 
“You can’t get out of here, Tony.
 
This is your home, remember?”

“Sophie …” he
growled in warning.

No sooner had
he said her name and shot angry arrows out of his hypnotic green eyes, than the
young girl buckled and gave into tears.

Tony wasn’t
expecting the great sobs and the torrent of tears that suddenly flowed down her
face.
 
Her fragile body quaked with
grief.
 
Sophie was always filled
with such goodness and light.
 
He
thought her incapable of such devastating emotions.
 
What had he done?
 
He felt like a total schmuck.

“Sophie,
Sophie, shush darling.
 
I didn’t
mean it.
 
I’m an ass,
remember?
 
I don’t always say the
right thing.
 
I didn’t mean to make
you cry.
 
Oh, stop it, Sophie.
 
Please, stop,” he pleaded.

She sniffed and
hiccupped a few times, but soon she was able to speak coherently.
 
“I’m sorry, but I do love you,
Tony.
 
I can’t help it.
 
Believe me, I’d rather find someone
younger.”

Tony bristled at
her comment.
 
He wasn’t
that
old.

“From the first
time I saw you, I knew we’d end up together.
 
Didn’t you feel anything for me?”
 
She sniffled a few more times.
 
Surely, she wasn’t mistaken.
 
She was hot and he was needy…maybe.

Tony gave
up.
 
Once again, he pulled her into
his warm embrace.
 
“Sweetheart, I
feel something very powerful for you, but I doubt that it’s love.
 
You’re a beautiful and desirable woman.
 
It may simply be lust, I feel.”

“You think I’m
stupid and too young for you, don’t you?”

Tony
chuckled.
 
She wasn’t too far
off.
 
“I never thought you were
stupid.
 
I find you most
refreshing, in fact, but you are very young, my dear.
 
I am much older and, as you’ve discovered, I can be hard to
get along with.
 
You are my
opposite, darling.”
 
Tony started
to relax and was relieved to discover his erection had disappeared.
 
At least, he didn’t have to deal with
that any longer.

“I don’t care
how old you are, Tony.
 
I will
always love you.
 
The women in my
family only love one man for their entire life.
 
So what if you’re a grouch?
 
I can change all that.
 
Give me a chance.
 
If you
don’t fall in love with me, I promise I will remain alone...forever.”

Tony chuckled,
and ruffled her glorious hair.
 
“Oh, precious,” he sighed, “you are too adorable for words.
 
I’m afraid that if I allowed myself to
fall in love with you, I’d just end up hurting you.
 
There are things about me that you wouldn’t understand or
even believe.
 
Not good things.”

“I’ve seen and
heard plenty while I’ve worked for Mr. Paulsen.
 
He’s very mysterious, too.
 
But everyone needs someone to love, Tony.
 
No matter who they are or what they’ve
done.
 
I know you need my
love.
 
Trust me.”

Tony didn’t
know why, but he knew, instinctively, that he could trust her.
 
For the first time in many years, he
knew he could rely on a woman to stand with him.
 
As young as she may be, she had a certain maturity in her
soul.
 
Maybe she was one of the
old
souls
people were always mentioning.
 
The one thing Tony was absolutely sure of, he had been happier in the
last few days, since he’d met pretty Sophie, than he’d been in over a hundred
years.
 
Now, if he could just say
that to her, without sending her screaming and running for the door, maybe he’d
have a chance at true happiness, once again.

They sat on the
bed, with Tony rocking Sophie gently, back and forth, until she quieted and her
breathing slowed to a normal pace.
 
His mind was in turmoil.
 
What should he do, he wondered?
 
Should he follow his heart or his head?
 
Ignoring the past, doomed one to repeat it, but being too
afraid to take a chance on love, was not living.

“Tony?”
 
A small voice whispered in his ear.

“Yes, darling?”

“I’m hungry,”
she sniffed.

Now it was
Tony’s turn to laugh.
 
“You are a
funny little thing.
 
What can I get
for you?
 
If I can’t find it in the
kitchen, I’ll send out.
 
What do
you want?”

Sophie thought
for a moment.
 
“Do you have graham
crackers and warm milk?”

“Ick!” he
groaned.
 
“You’ve got to be
kidding, right?
 
I’ve got champagne
and chocolate dipped strawberries.
 
A fine caviar can be found in the pantry, at all times.”

“Oh, yuck!
 
You don’t
really
eat those
things, do you?” Sophie blurted out.
 
“I like pizza and Chinese take-out.
 
You do too, don’t you?”

Tony
grimaced.
 
“Only when I have to eat
it.
 
Do you like fruit?
 
I know there must be some in the
house.
 
Coffee?
 
I could get you some espresso.”

Sophie rolled
her eyes.
 
“I’d never get to
sleep...
 
hence, the hot milk.
 
Duh!
 
You come from a different part of town, don’t you?”

Tony set her
aside and stood up, looking down at the curly-headed little pixie reclining on
his big bed.
 
“That’s what I’ve
been trying to tell you, Sophie.
 
“We’re from two different worlds.”

Sophie sighed,
and crawled to the edge of the mattress, allowing the bathrobe to hang
open.
 
She stood up on tiptoes, and
placed her arms around Tony’s broad neck.
 
“We may be from different worlds, Tony,” she cooed, “but there is one
thing that we can both enjoy.”
 
She
kissed his chin, then his cheeks and the tip of his perfect nose.
 
She settled on his firm lips, coaxing
them apart with her tongue.
 
She
heard him moan and felt his strong hands settle on her hips.
 
He would be hers.

He’d never
slept better.
 
Tony rolled over and
threw his arm around the soft pillow nestled close to his side.
 
It purred.

No sooner had
his eyes shot open, than he literally flew out of the bed, catching his foot in
the comforter and landing splat on his face.
 
“Ouch!” he groaned.

“Tony!
 
Are you all right?
 
What happened?”

“What are you
doing in my bed, Sophie?” he managed to ask, with his lips still pressed
against the carpet.

“Actually, you
spent the night in
my
bed, and it was wonderful,” she sighed, as she
corrected his erroneous assumption.

“But—but
how did it happen?
 
I wasn’t going
to take advantage of you.”

She laughed,
softly.
 
“You didn’t take advantage
of me.
 
Remember the warm
milk?
 
I heated some for myself and
shared it with you.
 
It obviously
did the trick.
 
We cuddled naked
for about ten minutes, before you started to snore.”

Tony couldn’t
believe it.
 
“Warm milk?”
 
God, how awful.
 
“I’d never drink that sludge.
 
My head’s so fuzzy, nothing’s clear,
but I know I didn’t drink warm milk.”
 
He paused.
 
“Naked!
 
You and me were naked?” he hollered,
not believing his ears.
 
Was it
possible to sleep naked beside the glorious Sophie and not remember it?
 
Was he losing his mind?

“Okay,
Mr.
Barton
.
 
Take it easy.
 
I guess you also don’t remember giving
me a delicious massage, just before you got up and took something for pain.
 
You said your head was going to explode.
 
You were as naked as the day you were
born—and quite impressive, I must say—but you got up and went into
the bathroom.
 
I got up and went in
search of the kitchen.
 
Did you
know this place is enormous?
 
Was
it built for a king?
 
I almost got
lost on my way back.
 
Sheesh!
 
Anyway, I finally found my way back and
offered you sips of my milk.

“You need
graham crackers, Tony.
 
They make
the snack infinitely better.
 
At
first you made a face and caused me to giggle, but then you grew to like the
milk and it’s calming effects.
 
In
a few minutes, you started to doze.
 
I was a little disappointed, but cuddling was almost as good as doing
it.
 
You know...
it?
”
 
She blushed all the way to her
hairline.

“How cute,”
Tony chuckled.
 
“Not too many women
still blush, these days.
 
And I’m
glad we didn’t do...
it
.
 
If
we ever do make love, dear Sophie, I want to be conscious.
 
By the way, Sophie, are you telling me
that you aren’t an innocent?”

“A what?
 
I’m not guilty of anything.”
 
She looked insulted.

Tony laughed
heartily.
 
“An
innocent
is a
young lady that has not yet given up her virtue.”

“Oh,” Sophie
mused.
 
“You talk funny, Tony.
 
But it does make me feel a little
dumb.
 
Just because I’m blonde
doesn’t mean I don’t have a brain.”
 
She stood up and searched for her hot pink thong and bra.

It was a
beautiful display of feminine delights, as she pranced naked across the room in
search of her clothing.
 
Tony sat
back with his head resting on his arm and smiled.
 
She was truly a joy to behold.

“I don’t mean
to make you feel dumb, Sophie.
 
It’s just the difference in our ages and backgrounds.
 
I was originally born in England, you
know.
 
My family was quite wealthy
and I attended the best schools.
 
My father was an Earl.”

Sophie stopped
her search.
 
“An Earl?
 
My daddy’s an Earl!
 
He was named after Earl Flynn, the
actor.
 
Daddy grew up watching all
of his old Robin Hood movies.
 
See?
 
We do have something in common, after
all.”

“Yes, precious,
we do.
 
As it so happens, my
favorite Robin Hood is also, Mr.
Errol
Flynn.”
 
Tony shook his head in dismay.
 
Now there was no doubt in his mind that he needed to put
some distance between himself and the glorious Sophie, for her own good.

Suddenly, there
was a knock at the bedroom door.
 
“Sir Anthony?
 
If you are in
there, Mr. Paulsen has arrived and awaits you presently in the drawing room.”

“Thank you,
Ibsen.
 
Tell him I’ll be right
down.”

Sophie looked
as if she had seen an elephant cross the room.
 
“Was that a...butler?”

“Yes, and his
name is Ibsen.
 
He’s been with me
since he was a young man.
 
I
couldn’t do without him.
 
Now,
precious, close your mouth and finish getting dressed before Grant rushes up
here and catches you in your birthday suit.
 
I wouldn’t want him to get the wrong idea.”

Tony grabbed
his trousers and a sweater, shoved his stocking feet into his eight hundred
dollar loafers, and charged down the stairs, leaving a very bewildered blonde
standing in the center of his guestroom, wearing only her pink bra and matching
thong.

* * *

“About time,
Tony,” Grant hollered across the room, as his rather disheveled friend stumbled
through the door.
 
“I thought I’d
have to come up and drag you out of bed.
 
You look as if you’ve had a rough night after the mess at the
docks.
 
Didn’t you get any sleep?”

Tony ran his
fingers through his long, dark hair in a feeble attempt to look better
groomed.
 
“Can I get you some
coffee or juice?
 
Have you had your
breakfast?”

Grant closed
his eyes and smiled.
 
He knew his
friend was avoiding the subject of sleep.
 
“This is what I missed most about the early years; the civility of the
upper classes.
 
When we entertained
a guest, or when we visited friends, we could always count on being well
fed.
 
We dressed for dinner and we
were always exceedingly polite to one another—even when facing each other
from twenty paces.
 
Ah, yes.
 
I remember the duels.
 
Great fun, eh?”
 
He chuckled at the macabre
thought.
 
“Where has it all
gone?
 
Now, I drive up to the
golden arches and order a Mc-something or other, and I get hot water in a paper
cup, disguised as coffee.
 
More is
the pity.”

Tony grimaced
at the thought.
 
Much had changed,
but not always for the better.
 
“I
guess that’s why I stay here, in this mausoleum.
 
I don’t approve of anything that has changed in the last
eighty or ninety years, except, perhaps, for electricity and indoor
plumbing.
 
The kitchen is very well
equipped, and I do adore the Jacuzzi.”

Grant stared at
his friend for several minutes before he chose to speak.
 
“Would you change who you are, if you
could?
 
If there was some way to
reverse this gift...”

“Don’t you mean
curse?” Tony argued.

“Curse,
then.
 
Would you reverse it?”

Tony poured
himself a glass of water and went to the door to talk to Ibsen.
 
“Order us some breakfast, juice and
good hot coffee.
 
Throw in a carafe
of hot chocolate.
 
Make it for
three.”

Grant raised an
eyebrow, but said nothing.

Tony made
certain Ibsen had left his post and he closed the pocket door, securely.
 
He spoke softly.
 
“I would give anything to be mortal.
 
It’s not that I want to die.
 
I just want to finally
live
.
 
Do you have any idea how long it’s been
since I’ve had a relationship with a woman I cared about?
 
Sixty years, Grant.
 
It was 1950, and she was
beautiful—right up until the cancer killed her.
 
At least by then I had the good sense not to have children.
 
I’ve watched a few of my babies die,
too.”

Both men sat
quietly, each recalling his own ghost.
 
There were good memories, too, intricately woven through the minefields
of life, but it was the pain, Tony remembered most clearly.

Grant cleared
his throat.
 
“I’m sorry, Tony.
 
I, too, have lost loved ones, but I
wouldn’t give up one second of the time I spent with them.
 
They were good times, right up until
the bitter end.
 
If the opportunity
ever again presents itself, I will love another, but I have no desire to be
fully human, again.
 
What we do,
our special gifts, are important, Tony.
 
The rogues must be stopped and only we have that capability.
 
I’ve enjoyed watching technology
develop, offering mankind the previously unimaginable.
 
I wish you could look at life that
way.
 
Sometimes, I worry about you,
brother.”

A light knock
at the door ended their discussion.

“Come in,
Ibsen,” Tony said, without looking up.

A delightfully
feminine voice giggled, “I’m not Ibsen, silly, but may I come in, too?
 
I’m famished and I believe you men will
be eating soon, yes?”

“Sophie.
 
What are you doing here?
 
Did you spend the night?”
 
Grant shot a reproachful glance toward
Tony, as he walked toward Sophie and took the lovely girl in his arms.
 
“You look fit as a fiddle, kitten.”
 
He gave her a good, strong hug.
 
“Sit over here, by me.
 
Tony’s man is, indeed, bringing our
breakfast, and I believe he ordered hot chocolate for you.
 
Isn’t that right, Tony?”

Tony stood by
the open door, watching his two co-workers embracing.
 
“Yeah.”

“Ah-humm,” was
heard from the doorway.
 
“May I
bring in the tray, sir?”

“Oh, yes,
Ibsen.
 
Place the food in front of
her.
 
She’s starved,” he said,
rudely.

Sophie either
chose not to react to his insult, or she simply did not notice his lack of good
manners.
 
Grant did notice,
however, and scowled at their host.

“Sophie, dear,
let me pour.
 
You fix your
plate.
 
I don’t believe our host is
very hungry, this morning.
 
His
stomach is sour.”
 
Grant was not
totally successful in hiding the slight smile on his lips.
 
“Are you quite recovered from your
fright of last night, dear?”

Sophie nodded,
while stuffing the fluffy eggs into her already full mouth.
 
Her English muffin was dripping with
butter and strawberry preserves, as she hastily took a very large bite.
 
“I fe goo,” she managed to mangle, as
she brought the cup of hot chocolate to her lips to help wash down the
muffin.
 
Rolling her eyes in
ecstasy, she licked the delicious brew from her upper lip.
 
“Orgasmic, Tony.
 
You must try some.”

Tony stood and
watched the little princess stuff her face with every item on the tray.
 
How did she stay so trim, he
wondered?
 
Strawberry preserves and
chocolate mixed together, on her lips, while butter dripped onto her
napkin.
 
As disgusting as it should
have been, the only thing on Tony’s mind was licking it off.
 
He wanted to taste her mouth, make her
moan with pleasure at the feel of his kiss.
 
He wanted to caress her plump little breasts and devour them
for breakfast.

“Ahem.”
 
Grant got Tony’s attention.
 
“Close your mouth and reel in your
tongue, brother.

Tony nodded and
turned away while he shifted the hard erection filling his trousers.
 
At times, it was damn inconvenient to
be a man.

Sophie put down
her napkin and gave one last glance at the breakfast tray.
 
Nothing but crumbs remained on the
plates.
 
“Why is it that everything
tastes so much better when you’re away?
 
I never eat like this when I’m home.”

“That’s a
blessing,” muttered Tony.

“What did you
say, Tony?”

“Oh,
nothing.
 
Look here, Sophie.
 
Isn’t it about time you went home?”