Trust (10 page)

“I don’t think so!” he threatened. “Answer me.”

“I don’t discuss my husband. Not with you, not with anyone. I don’t feel like it. It’s a part of my life that has ended.”
God! The man is more than just jealous
. “Give me my watch back. My husband is dead. Six feet under. Cold and alone.” Her voice choked and she snatched the watch from his hand. “I’m here with you, aren’t I?”
I wish I weren’t; I wish I were buried with Gabriel
. “Why are you spoiling for a fight? Do you want me to leave?” Her low, sorrowful voice and withheld tears cut deep within him. They were worse than shouts.

“No,” he stared at her, surprised, “no.” His thumbs dried the wetness on her eyes. “Please, don’t cry. I’m sorry. I’ve told you I don’t like you using things other men gave you.”

She pleaded with a susurrus, “Let’s not argue about this, please.”
God! Gabriel gave me everything! I was married for almost seven years!

The woman knocked on the door, bringing two crystal glasses of water on a small silver salver. She put the glasses on the table and hastily exited the room, returning with Mr. Arkade and trays plus trays loaded with jewels.

“Mr. Ashford, it’s an honor to receive you again.” He shook hands with Ethan and nodded at Sophia. “Mademoiselle, it’s a pleasure.”

Sophia acknowledged the little man.
What am I doing there? I’m no frivolous woman to accept jewels from a man I barely know. More jewels, Sophia, remember. More jewels
.

“So, Mr. Ashford, do you have something specific in mind?”

“It’s up to the lady. But I thought about Van Cleef.” He turned to Sophia. “You like Van Cleef, don’t you? Perhaps you prefer something different?”

“Anything you feel like. I love Van Cleef.”

Mr. Arkade motioned for his assistant to put the trays on the table and started sorting through them. “I have some beautiful butterfly diamond clips and necklaces.”

“Ah… Nothing with butterflies, please.”

“Why not?” Ethan asked her.

She grimaced. “I-I’ll explain later,” she stammered.

“Any preference of color or gem?”

“Sapphires, emeralds, rubies, and diamonds.” Ethan enumerated the gems as if they were buttons. “Do you have the new catalogue?”

“Louise, could you please…” Mr. Arkade asked.

Louise handed Ethan a leather covered book. “This is the latest one, sir. Of course, we have the others. As you know Van Cleef is timeless.”

He waved her to put the other catalogues on the table as he peered through the first book. “Hmm… I’d like to see this,” he showed something to the woman, “and the matching complements.” He turned over two more pages. “Also this set with the matching ring.” He passed some more pages and leafed back, “and this one. Come on, Sophia, take a look at the others.”

“Ethan, I’m sure I’m going to like what you have chosen,” she murmured and drank her water, licking her lips.

He leaned in her direction and breathed in her ear. “Do that again and I will buy you the entire shop!”

She bit her bottom lip.

He tsked and his eyes flamed, sparkling blue fire.

Louise returned with big black velvet trays. The first displayed an exquisite set of beaded sapphires and diamonds: a remarkable necklace, earrings, and two rings. “This is the Medusa set.” She looked at Sophia. “You can detach the clip,” she demonstrated, “and the necklace becomes all diamond. Beautiful, isn’t it?” Sophia nodded, so uncomfortable she became speechless. “I brought both rings so you could choose.”

She gave the other tray to Ethan. “The Makis set, sir.” A stunning bracelet with flowers, leaves, and a tiny lemur with matching earrings, an extraordinary clip, and a wondrous necklace. Beaded emeralds, carved rubellites, black spinel, and diamonds. Cute tiny lemurs appeared everywhere. “Mr. Ashford, this clip turns into a pendant.” She showed Ethan the back of the clip.

Louise is going to sell him everything
.

“That’s it! Perfect.” He showed it to Sophia. “Do you like them?”

She picked up the bracelet in awe. “It’s a timepiece, isn’t it?” she asked Mr. Arkade and he bobbed his head at her with a big grin on his odd face. “It’s… exquisite.” She fingered the tiny lemur and opened the flower that covered the watch.

“Put the necklace on, Sophia,” Ethan coached.

I’m not selling my soul
. She put the bracelet back on the tray. “These are fit for a queen.”

“You are my queen,” he whispered in her ear. “Please.”

Please? This is smothering
. She frowned, uncertain, she bit her lip and tried the less grand of the rings.
If only there was something less expensive on these two trays
.

“Now,” he breathed and his hand cupped her chin, his thumb caressing her lip. “You like the sapphire set?”

God… What should I do?
“I cannot accept, Ethan.”

“Choose something different, then.” His disappointment visible on his face.

Can’t he understand? This is too much and too soon. I’m not his mistress. Nor I am his wife
.

He motioned his hand to the other trays.

“You didn’t like it, ma’am?” Mr. Arkade’s smile waned.

Sophia looked at his face and took pity. “It’s not that I didn’t like them, sir. Far from it,” she murmured and looked at Ethan. “They’re dazzling, but it’s too much.” She put her hand over his. “Really, there is no need. Choose something simpler.”

“You liked it?” Ethan asked again; she bit her lip and nodded. “We’re taking both.” He leaned toward her and murmured. “You’re doing it again.” He turned to the little man. “Mr. Arkade, my driver is going to come by to pick up both sets in half an hour. I expect you at my office tomorrow by ten.” He rose, concluding the purchase. “Louise?” He bestowed a smile on the woman. “I see that you have exceptional good taste.” Louise liquefied into a puddle at his feet. “Please, add a diamond necklace for the Makis clip.”

“Of course, Mr. Ashford.” Louise ran to get their coats and helped Sophia put hers on her shoulders.

Sophia rose on her tiptoes and kissed Ethan on the lips, “Thank you. I loved both.” She put on her gloves.

“I’m glad. Now you’re only missing some watches.”

She shook her head, smiling.

Wilkins appeared less than two minutes after Ethan called him.

Ethan entered the car after her, ordering on the intercom, “Home, please, Wilkins.”

She took off her gloves and caressed his jaw, his beard softly tinkling the palm of her hand. “I don’t want to sound ungrateful, but I’d rather you refrained from your purchase impulses. I don’t feel altogether at ease with so many gifts. It’s smothering me.”
And I like what I have at home. This is completely wrong, Sophia. Completely wrong
.

He caged her face in his hands and gave her a long, overwhelming kiss distracting her from her musings. “Baby, you’ll have to learn,” he said huskily. “So, what am I bound to discover under this dress of yours?” His hand wandered up her thigh and his smile turned naughty.

The desire on his face awakened Sophia’s. “Aren’t we impatient today, Mr. Ashford?”

“Jesus, Sophia,” he breathed when his fingers touched her skin, “you turn me on like no woman has ever done. I want you. Here, now.”

She froze. She opened and shut her mouth twice before she could speak, “Here?”

“It’s big enough,” he said trailing kisses along her jaw and neck, “I have been giving this idea some thought. Why not try it?” He raised his head to look at her and spoke on her lips, “To start with.” The rich tone of his baritone voice washed over her and he kissed her, his tongue traced her lips and dipped in her mouth, coaching, caressing, yearning.

Why not? Because it is fifteen minutes max to his apartment, you idiot. But… Yeah. No. No, definitively, no
. “Ethan, it’s too near.” She looked out at the window. “We’re almost there.”

“I can order Wilkins to drive until I say so,” his hand stretched to touch the intercom and she gripped his wrist.

“No. Absolutely not,” she stood her ground. “We can kiss, we can fondle, but we aren’t doing
it
in the car. At least, not today.”

“Okay, okay,” he put his palms up, in a peaceful gesture and then picked her up in his arms and settled her on his lap. “So, Ms. Santo,” he said with a wicked smile, “let me fondle
you
until the garage.”

Sophia! You and your big mouth
. She started to scold herself but her thoughts scattered away as his fingers brushed aside her panties and gently touched her. “Oh, Ethan,” she breathed and let her head fall back on the car window.

He shifted angling his head to kiss her and her fingers threaded through his silky hair, clenching it and pulling him down for a hard kiss.

She felt his arousal against her thigh as she wiggled under his expert ministrations.

He kissed her neck, her shoulder, and pushed aside the top of the sleeve with his mouth and kissed the place he’d bared. He lifted his head and she thought he’d given up, but then he inhaled deeply and put the fingers he fondled her with in his mouth. And sucked.

Sophia gasped at the erotic scene and threw away reason, “Dammit,” she exclaimed and straddled him, her hands fumbling impatiently with his belt and the zipper of his trousers.

She reached down and placed her hand over his tented underwear where his erection pushed against the cloth.

His warm and deep chuckle filled the car as he raised his hips to push down his clothes and his mouth descended on her neck, scattering kisses along the neckline. He brushed her dress aside, his tongue dipping under the lace edging the bodice’s neckline.

She undid his pale yellow tie and opened the first buttons of his shirt, putting her open mouth on his neck and palming his chest. The clean and masculine scent drifting from his skin turned her on even more.

He pushed down her neckline and his hand closed over her flimsy lace bra, his thumb caressing her nipple.

She gasped. Pleasure raced through her and warmth pooled between her legs as he bent his head and suckled the nipple in his mouth, tugging at it lightly with his teeth. She moaned louder, running her hands along his chest to his shoulders, and dug her fingers into his hair, scrapping her nails on his scalp.

He tore his mouth away from her breast and she protested with a low sound from the back of her throat. She opened her clear eyes to discover Ethan watching her closely.

His hand moved up under the dress, sliding over her stocking and over the garter and up. He grabbed her tiny lace thong and ripped it, his fingers caressing her intimately.

She let out a low cry as he stroked her. “Now, please, now,” she begged. She felt wanton, as she never imagined she could.
Sophia, you’re in a car, for God’s sake
. She shooed the thought away.

“Sophia,” he moaned as she stroked up and down his length.

“Please, Ethan,” she rose onto her knees, positioning herself and put her hands on his shoulders for leverage.

“You’re so beautiful,” he said thickly and entered her with one swift thrust of his hips.

She threw her head back and gasped with pleasure.

“You are mine, Sophia. Mine,” he murmured as he held her hips, diving into her hard and fast.

She lifted her yellow-diamond eyes to meet the blistering azure of his gaze and ran the tip of her tongue over his lips. She licked his jaw.

He made a sound deep in his chest, a laugh and a groan combined as he lost himself in the pleasure, just as she was. He cupped her face in his hand and kissed her deeply. Demanding and possessing, he thrust and fingered her.

The car moved slowly through traffic and they were oblivious to everything but themselves.

She pushed down the other side of her dress neckline and brushed aside her bra, grasping her breasts, offering them to him as she moved up and down, slowly.

“Jesus, Sophia,” he took a breast in his mouth and suckled.

Her face sank into the hollow of his neck. She kissed and nibbled him, deranged with the unexpected danger she felt from being exposed.

He pushed again.

“Oh,” she gasped. “Oh, Ethan.”

She bit his suit on the shoulder to muffle her shout of pleasure. She loved the feel of him inside, filling her. She tensed up as he groaned and thrust fiercely.

The pleasure tightened and spiked, rising high. Higher and higher. And burst, flooding her with heat and warmth, making her dizzy with its force.

Crazy
. He held her tightly while she came back to herself. “Sophia,” he said, when he could find his voice.
You are crazy, Ethan
.

“Oh,” she gasped softly. “You are crazy. We are crazy.”

He drew back a little to look at her, with a smile on his face.
She has telepathic powers
.

She gazed at him dreamily, “You have no inhibitions, have you?”

“I do. But I lose control when I’m with you. I’ve never made love in a car.”

She stroked his beard, “Neither have I.”

The warmth of their lovemaking fogged the windows, and his mind started to thicken again along with his arousal, still inside her. He took her hand and kissed it. As he did so, his gaze strayed to the tinted window. “Curse it,” he blurted.

“What?” she demanded in a murmur, her forehead still on his shoulder. “What?”

“We have arrived,” he said, adjusting his trousers. “Here,” he extended a handkerchief to her and ran his fingers over her hair combing the wisps that had escaped her braid.

“It’s okay,” she said, stuffing his soiled handkerchief in her purse and picking up her gloves and coat from the floor of the Rolls Royce. She smiled naughtily at him, “You are debauching me, Mr. Ashford. I should be working. Instead, I’m having sex with you on the backseat of your car with your driver in the front, probably listening.”

He shook his head amused. “Of course he was not listening, Sophia. The glass is soundproof.”

The car parked in the garage and Wilkins got out and opened the door for her with an impassive face.

Sophia blushed and looked at Ethan, who just laughed and whispered in her ear, “I can assure you he doesn’t know what happened here. Come on, baby, let’s move this to the bed.”

“Ethan, Ethan,” she shook her head at his eagerness and exited the car with a bright smile on her face.