The Right Time (19 page)

They rocked together, the squeak of the bed sounding loud in the quiet room as their bodies remembered and hearts connected.

Ransom cupped her face and gazed down at her. In the dark, her gray eyes were vivid and intense. Darker than he’d ever seen them before. Lying between her legs was a missed comfort—one that he never thought he’d experience again.

“This is me coming after you,” he rasped.

His muscles bunched as he fought to endure and last a little longer. He moved his hips and she closed her eyes, lips separating as she savored the sensation of him inside of her.

“This is me not letting you go.” His voice was a low, guttural sound, thick with desire.

Her responsive body and desperate little sighs stripped away his control. He picked up speed and she matched his passion, thrusting upward, both of them straining toward repletion.

In the end, they shattered very close together. First Sophie, her body trembling beneath him and a hoarse cry flying from her throat. Ransom came next, a deep grunt signaling his release as the room rocked crazily around him. He blew a puff of air on her collarbone right before collapsing on top of her.

In the silence, their heavy breaths could be heard as they tried to regain control.

Ransom rolled onto his back and went into the adjoining bathroom to dispose of the condom. When he returned, Sophie sat on the edge of the bed, her shoulders bowed in a despondent curve. He sat down beside her.

“I’m not this person,” she said.

“Sophie.” He touched her back.

“It was supposed to be a one-time thing. Not this need that won’t go away.” Her voice shook.

Ransom pulled her close, resting his face in the groove between her shoulder and chin. Inhaling her. Simply breathing her in.

“Tell me what you want,” he said.

“Your time. Your attention. Everything.”

“Then that’s what I’ll give you. Everything.” He brushed the nape of her neck with his hand and saw the hesitation in her eyes. “We can’t keep pretending there’s nothing between us.” It would be easier to remove his arm and pretend he still had two.

She eased from his arms and picked up her underwear. “I’m here with him, at his parents’ house.”

“Leave with me.”

She shook her head. “I can’t do that. Let me—”

“Why not?” Ransom stood and started fixing his clothes as well.

She was quiet as she tugged on her underwear.

“Why not, Sophie?” He grabbed her arms.

“Because you’re here to ensure you receive the partnership.”

“I don’t care about that.”

“Yes, you do. And I do, too. There’s no way I’d let you leave a party that you’d regret walking out on the minute you go through the door. You want to be here. You need to be here. Tonight is a culmination of everything you’ve worked for over the past eleven years, and leaving together would be impulsive. I don’t want you to lose this opportunity because of me.”

Being impulsive was not his approach to decision-making, but his gut told him it might be necessary this time. He raked a hand through his hair. “I’m not leaving without you.”

“You have to. I won’t embarrass Keith in front of his colleagues and his family, and I know how important tonight is for you. I won’t let you ruin your chances.”

“Listen to me—”

“No, you listen.” She pressed a soft hand against his chest. “Go. I’ll meet you later.”

“Where?”

“At your place.”

“I don’t like this.” He raked his fingers through his hair. “I’m not leaving you alone with him.”

“Let me handle Keith. I want to do that alone.”

He looked into her determined face and still couldn’t fathom walking out without her. “Let me worry about my future.”

“My decision to stay is not only about you. As uncomfortable as it is, I have to face Keith and be honest.”

How was he supposed to pretend for the rest of the night that he hadn’t just made love to her? That she was going to leave Keith and be his, finally?

“Ransom, I’ll meet you later. I promise.”

He pulled her close and held her face in his hands. “I’m only doing what you ask. If you change your mind before the night is over, tell me, and we’ll face him together.”

“I will. Now go so I can fix my hair and get back out there.”

Although he hated her request, Ransom did as she asked. But first, he pressed a firm kiss to her mouth, and quietly left.

The minute Sophie saw Keith, guilt burned through her body. No amount of smoothing her hair and giving herself a pep talk could erase what she’d done in one of his parents’ guest rooms.

“Where have you been?” Keith furrowed his brow at her.

“I went to get some fresh air for a few minutes.” Her eyes dodged his.

He studied her with an unusual amount of concentration, his eyes scouring her face. “Are you okay?” he asked.

“Yes. Why?” Her heart raced.

“You look flushed.” Using a forefinger, he tilted up her chin and searched her eyes.

“I’m fine.” Sophie swallowed, insides quivering at the intense scrutiny.

“You’re shaking.”

Apparently her outside was quivering as well.

“No, I’m not.” She denied the accusation with a straight face, a dull and emotionless tone to her voice.

His eyes focused on her mouth. “Your lipstick is gone.”

“Is it? I’ll have to go to the bathroom and freshen up.” She’d left her purse in this room and hadn’t been able to reapply the red lipstick. Her mouth still felt swollen and achy from Ransom’s kisses.

Keith dropped his hand and scanned the room, gaze moving slowly from person to person. Searching. “Where’s Ransom?”

“I don’t know. I don’t keep up with him.”

His eyes snapped back to her and his mouth tightened a fraction. “I never said you did.”

She’d said too much. Her guilty conscience would give her away.

Keith took her hand and held it unusually tight. “I messed up in the past, but I love you, Sophie. I plan to make it up to you, for everything I did. I’m not the same man I used to be.”

“I know. I see the change in you.”

She did. He was different, more considerate, and took time out of his schedule to spend with her, and not once had he cancelled a date—but the changes had come too late. Being inconsiderate and cheating on her created an opening, and another man slipped through.

He ran his thumb back and forth over the back of her hand. “Good. I want you to keep an open mind about us and not let anything…or anyone interfere.”

Her cheeks burned. Was he warning her or accusing her? She couldn’t be certain.

“I have a few more people to introduce you to,” Keith said, placing his hand at the small of her back.

They walked toward a small group that included his mother and Myriam, and that’s when she finally saw Ransom, in a corner of the room, watching them.

Ransom had slipped back into the party before Sophie and kept watch for her at the door. Seeing her so soon after they’d made love and not being able to touch her filled him with frustration. He began to doubt he’d made the right decision by allowing her to dictate the way the night ended.

“Ransom.”

A clap on his shoulder drew his attention.

Brit smiled at him. “Enjoying yourself?”

He swirled the glass of cognac in his hand that he hadn’t taken a sip of yet. He didn’t know if he could eat or drink until he saw Sophie later tonight. “Absolutely.”

“We’re very impressed with your handling of the Creplar case. The client was ecstatic that we were able to settle for such a reasonable amount.”

“The extenuating circumstances helped.”

“Certainly.” Brit laughed. “You’ve been doing an excellent job—better than excellent the past few years. Where do you see yourself in five years?”

The answer should be easy, but suddenly wasn’t. Ransom’s thoughts veered toward the restaurant plans on his computer. He thought, too, about his brother and his family in the suburbs. Tonight they were probably engaging in a simple activity, like watching TV in the family room, Ryker and Madison bouncing around and climbing all over Ryan. Later, when the kids were asleep, he and Shawna would finally have some time alone to cuddle and talk and dream.

“Ransom?”

His attention jerked back to Brit.

“In five years, I expect to be in a managing partner position. That’s the ultimate goal.”

Pleased with the answer, Brit smiled easily. “I’m sure that’s in your future. A few of us are going into my lair to smoke cigars. Do you smoke?”

An invitation into Brit’s private sanctuary was almost unheard of, but considered the ultimate invitation. Not everyone present here tonight would receive the same invite.

“I have on occasion,” Ransom replied.

“Wonderful. Follow me.”

He followed behind Brit, his eyes briefly meeting Sophie’s. The corners of her mouth lifted softly, encouragingly, and he exited the room, marching forward to his destiny.

Keith waited for her in the bedroom, yet Sophie sat in the bathroom on the toilet cover, wiping at her leaking eyes. Ever since the party ended, she’d been a mess of chaotic emotions. The room was a cloudy haze behind tears impossible to stop.

She was done, and she should tell him so. He deserved to know and not be strung along, but she feared the relationship-ending conversation, worried about upsetting him when he’d been trying so hard.

Sophie took a fortifying breath to calm her queasy stomach. She couldn’t stay in here all night. She had to face him at some point.

At the sink, she splashed water on her face. Staring at her reflection, she saw a woman who was worried but resolved. Fearful, but ready to be honest. She exited the bathroom to find Keith standing at the window. He turned when he heard her come out of the bathroom.

Sophie went to sit at the foot of the bed, and he walked over, pushing up the shirtsleeves on his arms.

“Are you okay? You were in there for a while.” He spoke in a library whisper, concern etched into his wrinkled brow.

Sophie breathed slowly and quietly out of her mouth, heart pounding. “I can’t do this anymore.”

His body stilled, and she didn’t think it was possible, but the room actually became quieter. If a feather dropped on the plush carpet, she was certain she’d hear it.

“Do what?” he asked slowly.

“Us. I can’t keep up the pretense.” Her voice wobbled from the weight of regret and the pain she would cause.

Anger laced his features. “That’s what you’ve been doing with me all this time? Pretending?”

“Yes,” she said quietly.

“Should I be embarrassed or upset?”

“I can’t tell you how to feel.”

His chest lifted as he breathed in deeply, and lowered on a loud exhale. “I’m sorry I said what I did about your profession as a flight attendant. I didn’t mean it.”

“Your comments about my job aren’t the reason we don’t work.”

“Then explain why we don’t work.” Frustration and hurt vibrated in his voice.

Tears sprang to Sophie’s eyes because she understood she was the one causing the anger. She was the one inflicting the pain.

“We’re fighting a losing battle.”

Her feelings for Keith had slowly shriveled and teetered on the edge of suffocation. No matter how much she tried to breathe life into them, the damage was done. The only time she truly felt excitement was with Ransom. The only arms she longed to be in were his.

“What will it take for you to forgive me and make this work?” Keith dropped to his haunches before her and rested his hands on her knees. “You haven’t given us enough time, and that’s what you need to do. That’s what you promised you’d do.”

“I know what I promised.”

“Then do it!”

She covered her face. “I
can’t
. I know what I promised, but I can’t. Time won’t change how I feel.” She lowered her hands and looked him in the eyes. He deserved to be looked in the eyes. No matter what had happened between them, she didn’t want to lie and deceive him. She knew what that felt like. “I-I did something—”

“
No
.” His voice and shoulders went taut at the same time. His eyes dropped to the carpet. “I don’t care. I don’t want to know. Whatever you did doesn’t matter.”

“It does matter.”

“Not to me.” He looked up at her, pain in his eyes, gripping her thighs.

Oh god, he knew. He knew there was something between her and Ransom, but never said a word. The knowledge ripped a hole in her heart. Was his decision to ignore the truth an act of love or complacency?

“I want to be honest.”

“I don’t want your honesty. I want…I want you, Sophie. I fucked up so many times in the past, and I know I didn’t treat you the way you deserved. I
know
. Just give it time. We can fix this.”

“No,” she whispered. “We can’t. It’s too late.”

She wiped away another round of tears and sniffled. “I loved you. I just…don’t l-love you anymore.” Her voice cracked on the sentence, and he flinched.

She’d loved him, truly and deeply, but sitting here in the painful moment that signaled the end of their relationship, she could no longer recall how or why she fell for him in the first place. Staying with him, loving him, had become an act of desperation. She’d held on long past the expiration date because she didn’t want the life of so many other women—successful in their careers, but unhappy in love and alone.

“You never forgave me for cheating on you.”

“Your cheating was not the only reason for our problems, and you know that. Our relationship was in trouble for a long time, but the cheating was the last straw. The truth is, I did forgive you, but…everything has changed. We’re not the same. I’m not the same. I’m no longer satisfied.” Not when she knew there was a better alternative.

To her shame, she’d tolerated the disappointments in the relationship simply because she didn’t want to be alone. She hadn’t understood there was nothing wrong with being alone, and that being alone didn’t have to mean being lonely.

Dropping his shoulders, Keith closed his eyes. His head fell onto her lap, an expression of utter and complete defeat on his face. She’d never seen Keith like this before. The sight of his pain wounded her because she had loved him at one time, and a small part of her even wished she could still love him to save them both the agony of separation.