Whisper (The Voice trilogy Book 1) (13 page)

My body is humming intensely, and it’s hard to catch my breath. I touch my lips and the spark he left reignites. Oh, he is wicked, leaving me wanting, writhing in my own skin. He is well practiced. I think to put out the fire, but fear I may only fan the flames he has set. My hands won’t feel nearly as good as his will. The thought of how much more explosive it will be if I wait circles my mind. I will save myself for him, this fire, it is his doing. He must be the one to put it out. Slowly I
peel myself from my tank and skirt, holding the mood he has left me with, feeling seductive with no outlet. I light a row of stark white pillars that stand next to the tub. I run myself a bath, filling it with the heavily scented hotel bubble bath. The room is filled with a heady combination of gardenia, hot, sticky steam and flickering candlelight. God, I wish he was here right now. I slide slowly into the bath, letting my naked flesh slowly attune to the scorching hot water. When I finally settle in amongst the bubbles I let my head fall back and think of Rhys, and his crooked mouth. He dances behind my lids, teasing me. 

                                 *** 

A gentle breeze rouses me from a heavy sleep, and I wake as the sun is just cresting the horizon. I call to make sure she is awake and head down to Olivia’s room. The morning passed in a haze of wedding preparation and last minute crisis. My body still slightly humming from last night, and Rhys’ all-out assault on my senses. All the while Olivia is calm, more serene and giddy than any bride I have ever seen. The chaos swirls around her and she sits with a glass of champagne and the most contagious grin plastered across her face.

Kylie sweeps in and out of the room, assuring Olivia that all is going smoothly. She and Melissa move about the suite gathering Olivia’s luggage and makeup, packing it all up to move to the estate on Key Biscayne. I take the opportunity to pull Olivia to the side. She pours me a glass of champagne and I move to take a seat on the bed, a pang of emptiness echoes through my hips and core, evidence of the previous evenings tease. I close my eyes for a moment and absorb the memory of Rhys’ hips rolling against me and my pulse spikes, sending a shiver down my spine. My mind wanders to Rhys and how stunning he will surely look in a tuxedo. 

Marie flutters about the room, picking up the clothes that Olivia has tossed about. Olivia was never very tidy, but Marie lives to clean. They complement one another. She pulls the duvet off the bed and a small nappy bunny falls to the floor, Olivia’s bunny. He is gray from time, missing both eyes and his fluffy bunny tail, but he has gone everywhere with Olivia since we were girls. Her mother picks him up and begins to quietly weep. For her daughter’s new life, her lost youth, it’s hard to know. But, thoughts of my mother creep in while watching Marie weep for her daughter, tears of happiness at her upcoming wedding and a bright future. Tears my mother will never shed. I turn away, pouring myself a glass of OJ, thinking better of the champagne so early and on such an emotional day. Suddenly Marie turns her motherly eyes on me, as if she could tell that I had just been thinking about my own mother. Her mother’s radar is in full force this morning. 

“And what about you,
missy? You need to find someone who will take care of you now.” She pulls me into a hug and squeezes until I grin.

“I can take care of myself,” I offer back. “I don’t need anyone.” I know Marie means well, but I am tired of people looking at me with that pity in their eyes. The poor girl has no parents. That look makes my hair stand on end, provoking the deepest need to prove everyone wrong. To stand up and scream at the top of my lungs I can take care of myself!

“Oh Sophie, you don’t always have to be strong. We all need someone to take care of us, someone to love. Olivia said you finally got rid of that Collin.” She waits for confirmation. I think she hated him almost as much as my mother would have, if she had ever met him. “He was a real asshole, Sophie. You are far too good for him.” I turn to Olivia and almost give myself whiplash in the process. She puts her arms around me before I can explode.   

“I told her everything, Sophie. My mom loves you, and your mom would want someone looking out for
you. Please don’t be upset.” My mind reels at the array of sorted and humiliating details that Olivia could have shared with her mother. And she doesn’t even know the half of it. I would never share my failures and shortcomings with anyone. Weakness is not a virtue I admire. I don’t want people to know that I was so blinded. I was a sad fool. Now I feel foolish all over again. 

“Come now, there is no reason to rehash painful memories. Now is the time to go out and get what is yours, Sophie. Olivia found her match, and yours is out there waiting for you.”
             

“Everyone doesn’t get the perfect happily ever after, Marie.” The words fall from my mouth with ease, soliciting a crackling silence. She quietly leaves the room as Olivia twists around in a whirl of wavy blonde hair and wide eyes.

“You’re a little snippy this morning.”

“I am sorry,
Liv. I will apologize to your mom. I’m just feeling a little high strung.”              

“Obviously.
I assume you and Rhys didn’t hook up last night.” She sits at the foot of the bed and waits, eager and curious. “What happened? I thought you two hit it off. It looked like you were going to tear each other apart last night when you left the wine cellar.”

“He kissed the hell out of me and then left me standing there, alone, like an idiot. I swear I almost exploded it was so hot.” Her face falls slightly, churning over the words of casual encounters. “Maybe I am a little frustrated.”

“What happened?” She pats the bed beside her. I take a seat, taking a deep breath.

“I don’t know exactly. All night he was touching me and teasing me. When we got in the elevator I thought for sure. But he just left me alone. He said not tonight, that something had come up that couldn’t be ignored, and that was it. I assumed it was something for the wedding.”
             

“So, he left you reeling all night? He is playing with you!” She teases, pushing my shoulder with hers. “Don’t let it get to you. Rhys has been pursuing you, Sophie, not the other way around.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Sophie, are you really so blind? He has been with you every free moment. Rhys does not deal in flattery and fakery. If he wasn’t interested in you he would not be wasting his time. It is not his way. Obviously he wants to drag it out, spend more time with you.” A knock at the door distracts Olivia and I am left with more questions than answers.

“Matthew! You are not supposed to see me!” She giggles as Matt pushes the door open and sweeps her up into his arms. Rhys steps in and closes the door behind him.

“One last look before you
are mine forever woman!” He kisses her so deeply the air in the room stops, before he sets her back on her feet. Rhys’ eyes call to me and I catch him watching me impassively. His eyes are hard and his crooked smile is nowhere to be found, like he knows we were just talking about him.

“Ladies, we just stopped in to let you know that the cars will be ready in two hours. Everyone should meet downstairs and we will all depart for the wedding together.” He is all business.

“The boys and I are going to hit a bucket of balls before we leave. You ladies have a wonderful morning. And I will see you at the altar.” Matthew cups Olivia’s face in his hands before planting the sweetest kiss on her forehead. I watch Rhys’ face, like stone looking right through me, his mood undefinable. I wish I could hide my emotions so easily. My heart lives squarely on my sleeve. They turn to leave and I want to scream. He is impossible to read, refusing to let anyone see what he doesn’t want seen. How can I believe that he is interested in me when he can act so cold and detached? I want to chase him down the hall, demand his attention. Last night I was ready to give him everything and now he denies me.

Chapter 9

The girls are giddy, waiting to pile into one of the two stretch limousines that have been sent to take us all out to Key Biscayne. Excitement about the wedding is palpable, but Olivia is as cool as a cucumber.

“Nervous?” I tease, bumping her shoulder.

“Not one bit, Soph. I know this is the most perfect thing I have ever done. I love Matthew so much.” You can see it written all over her face, the bright reflection of love shining through her bright blue eyes.

“You two are going to be so happy.”

“I know,” she offers, matter of fact, climbing into the car. She is followed by Marie, then Kylie and Melissa. I envy her clarity. Her raw, almost infectious optimism. A soft hand winds around my arm, stopping me from getting into the car. I turn to find Rhys; impassive face; his eyes betray the stone set of his jaw. He pulls me back and pops his head into the limo.

“Ladies, I will be stealing Sophie for the ride. You can have her back once we arrive.”

A thrill surges through me at his commanding manner. I turn to Olivia to see a grin spread across her face as she winks with a shrug. He pulls me towards the sleek black Town Car parked behind the limos. His silence is unsettling, sending my pulse into a tizzy as I duck into the back seat. Rhys slides in after me, shutting the door, cutting us off from the outside. I shift to the opposite side of the car, waiting. I struggle to remain stoic in the face of his stone cold gaze, unsure of what I am to say. He watches me shift uncomfortably under his scrutiny, before his face softens slightly. He leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees, closing the distance between us. His fingers lace together, pulling across his lips, those plump, perfect lips. A momentary flash of his mouth on my flesh sends a jolt of pleasure pulsing through me. I feel the flush in my cheeks giving me away. He grins, fully aware of the effect he has on my body.

“I dreamt of your sweet lips last night. I am eager to taste the rest, and I must say that I woke feeling famished.” A moment passes before my mind catches up with him and I choke, a flaming red flush climbing up my body as I clutch my chest, his raw words leaving me breathless and startled. My mind races through the pages of my sexual past flashing upon painful memories of asking him for that, just to be ridiculed and mortified by the results. And here Rhys is, a powerful sexual being, charged up from my lips and he thinks I am sweet. My stomach flips at the thought of him, between my legs, teasing me like in my dreams, tasting me, lapping at my flesh. I cringe quietly before I look into his eyes and shake my head timidly, afraid to disappoint him.

“I don’t really… umm.” Every broken syllable is more painful than the last; I cannot make the words come. I cannot bring myself to tell him that I can’t let him do that to me because I am ashamed and afraid of what he will think, afraid of my own body. No, I cannot do that with Rhys. An ashamed nod of my head and I avert my eyes, not wanting him to see my embarrassment and fear.

“Hey, what just happened?” He tips my chin with his finger, raising my eyes to meet his. Concern and confusion flash in his emerald green eyes. “Did I
offend
you?” The slight edge in his voice begs me to assure him otherwise.

“No! No, of course not,” I drop my eyes, wanting to shrink away from it all. But Rhys won’t allow it, his finger turns my head back an
d his eyes demand my attention.

“Then what is it, Sophie. Tell me.”  

“I’m just not comfortable, with that.” The words barely a whisper, but in my head they echo, never ending. He searches my face while he holds my hands, looking right through me. Invading my thoughts, trying to gain access to the restricted section, where I hide behind big talk and a smart mouth. It was so easy for him to just walk right into my mind, just as easily as I stepped into this car. And now he waits. Waits for an answer I cannot give, a rational explanation why a woman of twenty four is so uncomfortable and unfamiliar with her own body. Why? 

“We are going to have to do something about that,” he declares, righteously.
“I have to taste you, Sophie. If I don’t it will drive me mad.” Lightning strikes at my core as the heat of his words crackle and pop in my ears.

“I’m sorry.” I shrink away from him and with every second my boldness fades, leaving an awkward emptiness. How quickly everything turned. I was ready to wrap myself around him and ride him until dawn, and now we sit hand in hand, miles apart. Pulling my hands
away, I turn back to face the window.

“Oh, no you don’t. Don’t be sorry, just be ready. I have plans for you. I have been waiting for this. I told you, I want to have my way.” His voice is warm and slow. He lowers his forehead to mine, and places his hands on my shoulders, reigniting the flame beneath. “Do not worry your pretty little head about it. We will start slow. I am going to make you come so hard you won’t know what hit you.” His promise burns right through me, dark and hungry need pooling in my loins.

“Yes, please,” my breathy plea the invitation he was waiting for. His hands are on both sides of my face, leading me, kissing me frantically, thankfully. His fingers wind in my hair while his hands rest on my cheek, soft and tender. Our lips twist and turn around each other, dancing to the quiet music of traffic, his hands soft on my face. He winks at me through thick dark lashes and sits back against the black leather seat across from me, gazing out the window.              

“Did you and Olivia
have a nice chat this morning?”