Free Recaptured Dreams by Justine Dell Page B

him.
    His angel.
    His Sophia.
    The soft lights overhead illuminated her face with beauty, and her milky skin looked radiant and ready to touch. Fighting back the urge to rush over to her, he angled his head and managed a small smile. This was the moment he had been waiting for.
    And this time, he wasn’t letting the opportunity slip through his fingers.
     
    Sophia drew a deep breath to steady herself as she ascended that first step. She looked over the strong features of his face, making sure her movements were confident and smooth. His brows appeared creased in concentration even though a slight smile played at his lips. His dark hair was tousled around his face, and his eyes shimmered. She climbed the remaining stairs, pausing at the edge of the landing.
    “Fancy meeting you here.” Her voice was low, uncharacteristically sultry. She saw the confusion flash across his face but chose to ignore it.
    “Well, yeah,” he replied. “London is a big place.”
    Sophia crossed over to him, tentatively leaning against the window sill, slightly turned so she was facing him.
    “A little too stuffy in there for you?” She touched his disheveled tie.
    “You could say that.” He rocked backward, jamming his hands into his pockets. Frown lines creased his handsome face.
    Noticing the distress, Sophia inched closer and ran a finger down his cheek. His puzzled look made her retreat. Silence hung between them for several beats.
    “Are you okay?” she asked.
    “Well, yes and no.” His tone was low, gruff. “What are you doing here?”
    “I came here with my mother for the charity—”
    Xavier silenced her with a shake of his head. “No, what are you doing here …with me, right now?”
    The light in his eyes faded to dark. His lips twitched as his eyes intently focused on her.
    “I saw you inside earlier, and you looked like you could use some company.”
    “Company?”
    “Yes,” she replied quietly. “And to say I was sorry about last night.”
    “And just what are you sorry for?” His magnificent eyes locked on hers, but his posture was rigid.
    Sophia shifted uncomfortably, making her dress rub against her sensitive skin. “I didn’t mean to throw myself on you like that and then run out on you.”
    He arched a brow. “Oh no?”
    “No.” She drew in a slow breath. “I was afraid.”
    His other brow shot up. “Of what?”
    Sophia shifted her gaze down. God, Xavier would think she was crazy if she told him she’d been drawn to his sea-eyes like a dehydrated starfish. After all, this was the Xavier Cain. Garnering all her will, she looked up at him through her thick lashes. He looked bemused and not nearly as smitten as the previous evening. Her heart thundered, and she didn’t know if he wanted her the way he’d seemed to before.
    “You.”
    Her hand shook as she adjusted his tie once more. She swallowed the unsure lump in her throat, let go of the tie, and trailed her finger down the buttons of his shirt, stopping just above his belt. After standing up to her mother and grandmother, Sophia focused her new resolve on Xavier; she was being as brave as she possibly could.
    He shivered beneath her touch, and his jaw clenched. It pleased her. Her longing rose to the surface, and an unfamiliar emotion overcame her. It swam beneath her skin, lighting little flickers of recognition. It was the same heat—the same feeling—that had made her run the night before. Not this time, though. This time she would own it. Embrace it. Ride it. Enjoy it.
    She licked her dry lips and looked at him with heavy eyes.
    “Afraid of me? Why?” he asked.
    Still unsure of the whirlwind in her stomach and the fact that Xavier was practically a stranger, she took that last step between them and let the need for him take control of her body.
    “You’re a famous fashion designer with a slew of girls at your fingertips. I didn’t think I was good enough.”
    Xavier snaked a sturdy arm around her back as he pinned her against the