Sophie's Surrender [Viper's Dungeon 4] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) (3 page)

She wasn’t quite certain how to respond to that, so she gave him what she hoped was a warm smile and reached for two coffee mugs. “The usual?” she asked, already knowing the answer but using the question to hopefully change the subject.

* * * *

Adrian watched Sophie as she nervously made coffee for both of them and wanted to kick himself. For eight of the past nine days—Sophie didn’t open the store on Tuesdays—he’d sat here and talked comfortably with a smart, intelligent, and delightful woman. Today she was obviously picking up on his change in attitude.

There was no doubt in his mind that the beautiful baker was the reason for his sudden realization that he no longer wanted to play the field. Simply put, he wanted the woman in front of him.

She finished making coffee for them both, handed one cup to him, and then moved toward the ovens, following her usual morning routine.

“It’s actually really nice to have company this time of the morning,” she said as she took ingredients out of the oversized pantry. She grimaced like she’d said something wrong and he barely resisted the urge to march over to her, grip her chin in his hand, and demand an explanation.

It seemed almost ludicrous that with all of his dominant tendencies and the easily accessible, submissive women falling at his feet at the club that he would somehow want this woman. But want her he did.

“You know, you don’t have to drop by this early. We can have coffee together any time of the day.” She blushed as she glanced at him. “I mean it’s nice to have someone here in the dead of night but I don’t need a big brother looking out for me.”

Big
brother?

Was that how she saw him?

“I’m usually up this time of night,” he said, trying to ignore the tightening in his gut. Was it truly possible he was falling for a woman—a non-submissive woman—who saw him as nothing more than an overly protective, big brother type?

“Oh,” she said, blushing a shade darker as she glanced at him. “I um…okay. I was just worried that you were…” She let her words trail away as she headed back into the pantry. He was on the verge of following her in and demanding an explanation for what she really meant when she came back into the kitchen with several more items in her arms.

“This time of year,” he volunteered when it seemed she wasn’t going to say anymore, “is pretty slow taxation-wise, and most of my clients are small business owners who’d prefer to meet after hours, so I tend to do the bulk of my day’s work late evening.”

“I suppose that makes sense,” she said as she measured out ingredients. “Maybe I should transfer my account to you. My accountant insists on meeting during the day. It’s okay once the baking is done, but the sandwich counter can get pretty busy some days and it seems unfair to leave Nessie to cope alone.”

Adrian smiled at the mention of the woman who worked at the front of the store during the days. She was a sweet older lady with a slightly devious streak. She’d grilled him for details on his life nearly every day that he’d come into the store before one day calling for Sophie’s help—even though she hadn’t really needed it—and then introducing them to each other before insisting that Sophie take care of his order.

She’d done it a couple of times before apparently giving up on her matchmaking efforts. She probably didn’t realize that Adrian was dropping by in the mornings. Sophie seemed the private type when it came to the relationships in her life and he couldn’t imagine her sharing the details with anyone else.

Which just made his attraction to her even more confusing.

If she was his sub, he’d strip her naked, tie her to a St. Andrew’s cross, and display every delectable inch of her for all to see. And then, just like Logan and Jace had done for Emma, he’d kiss every part of her in reassurance, perhaps cover her soft skin with the marks of his flogger, and then bring her to orgasm over and over while every member of the club watched on in envy. He’d claim her so thoroughly that she’d know without a shadow of a doubt that he loved her.

That final thought nearly knocked him off his feet.

Love?

True he was attracted—very attracted—to her beautiful curves and soft smile. But love at this early stage? Why was he even thinking in that direction when a relationship deeper than mere friendship seemed unlikely?

* * * *

“I’ll be with you in a moment.”

“No hurry,” Alex said, raising his voice slightly to be heard as the front door closed behind him. There was usually a sweet older woman named Nessie working behind the deli counter, but he was fairly certain the voice hadn’t belonged to her.

It had become a habit over the past twelve months for him or his brother, Adrian, to drop by this deli and bakery store each morning to pick up some lunch. Neither of them were particularly good cooks so fresh deli sandwiches and baked goods had become their standard midday meal. Most nights they ordered takeout from one of the local restaurants.

“How can I help you?”

The voice was deep and husky, sexy as hell, but it was the woman it belonged to that had his cock sitting up and taking notice. Embarrassed—he hadn’t had such a physical reaction to a woman since he’d been a horny teenager—he cleared his throat and tried to remember why he was here.

“I just…um…” He didn’t have a clue what he’d planned to order. Everything remotely resembling coherent thought had vanished from his head.

She gave him a friendly smile and stepped up to the sandwich counter. “You must be Alex.” He nodded warily, uncertain how she’d come to that conclusion. The town wasn’t
that
small. She glanced at what seemed to be a handwritten list and then reached over and grabbed wholemeal bread rolls. “The Friday usual? Nessie would be very upset if I got your order wrong.”

“Um…yeah. That’d be great.”

He hadn’t realized he had a “usual,” but judging by the woman’s swift movements, she knew exactly what he liked, how he liked it. He nearly groaned when the only thought to cross his fried brain was to wonder if she’d know what he liked, when he liked it when she was on her knees and he was feeding her his cock.

She was beautifully curved, her clothes and baker’s apron hugging the type of luscious beauty his most intimate fantasies were made of. He cleared his throat again, and sent a silent thank-you to the weather for being cold enough to need a jacket long enough to cover the erection that wouldn’t quit.

Fuck
.

He was an experienced Dom and owner of a fetish club. He saw naked women all the time. He shouldn’t be reacting like this to a woman who was not only fully clothed and wearing a hairnet, but also had a streak of flour across one cheek. But, oh, how he wanted to lean over and wipe it away as an excuse just to touch her.

She finished making his sandwiches, bagged up a couple of glazed fruit pastries, and gave him another friendly smile. “Anything else today?”

He almost
ordered
—he seemed incapable of social niceties with all of his blood having flowed south—her to have dinner with him, but at the last moment noticed the plain gold band that she wore on her left hand.

Alex managed to swallow the words, his disappointment that she belonged to another as confusing as every other reaction he’d had since he’d walked in the door. Yes, she was the type of natural beauty he definitely liked, but they didn’t even know each other. How could he be mourning a relationship that had never even begun?

It took another half second of staring at her blankly for the words she’d spoken nearly five seconds ago to finally coalesce in his head.

“Uh, no thanks. That’s it for today.”

She rang up his purchases and took his money, her smile seeming a little forced as they came to the end of one very strange encounter. He almost heard a sigh of relief as he headed for the door, and had his fingers on the handle before it even occurred to him to enquire about Nessie’s absence.

The woman, flour still smeared high on her cheekbone, gave him another friendly smile.

“She’ll be back in half hour or so,” she said with what he interpreted as relief. “It’s grandparents’ day at the local elementary school. The timing sucks, of course.” She rolled her eyes heavenward. “Any other week and I would have been able to cover the counter this time of day anyway, but I’m catering a big wedding tomorrow so I’m up to my eyeballs in preparation.” She looked ready to tell him more, but then blushed a pretty shade of pink, took a deep breath, and then nodded. “I hope you have a good day.”

“Will do,” he said automatically, glad at least that something was normal with him. “You, too.”

He fumbled with the door handle and almost growled at his lack of coordination. Hell, if the subs at Viper’s Dungeon could see him right now, he’d never earn back their respect. By the time he made it to the footpath, he was practically aching with need, his cock so hard that he considered skipping his lunch appointment with his brother for a little
alone
time.

That last thought finally broke through the strange reaction and made him laugh out loud. Since when did he fall all over himself over a pretty girl? The world was full of pretty women, and the last thing he needed to be doing was fantasizing over someone else’s wife.

“Hello, Alex,” a woman said, her voice reminding him that he was on a public street and wasn’t alone.

“Nessie,” he said, again grateful for the cold weather and long jacket. “How was grandparents’ day?”

“Wonderful,” she said with a happy lilt in her voice. “Did I ever tell you I have the most beautiful, intelligent, kindest grandchildren ever born?”

Alex laughed, his strange conversation inside the deli taking on a surreal quality now that he was outside and dealing with reality. “I’m fairly certain you’ve told me that at least once a week for the past year.”

“Only once a week?” she asked in feigned horror. “I shall have to be more vigilant. A woman with the most amazing grandchildren in the world needs to spread the word.” She winked at him and laughed heartily. “I see Sophie took care of you.”

He almost mumbled “I wish” before polite manners and good sense kicked in. He nodded instead.

“She’s single, you know.”

“She wears a wedding ring,” he blurted before he could really consider how significant it was that he’d noticed.

“Only to scare the men away,” Nessie said in a conspiratorial whisper. “She’s been divorced for nearly five years.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” he said with a wink of his own. “You have a good day, Nessie.”

He grinned when she nodded.

Thanks to her conversation his day was certainly looking up. Now if he could just find a way to act like a grown man and not a horny teenager next time he spoke to the woman.

* * * *

Sophie tried really hard to shake off whatever strange longing had made her lust over yet another man way out of her league. Honestly, wasn’t it silly enough to be dreaming sexy dreams about Adrian without suddenly having the same attraction to his brother?

She was so glad to see Nessie come back in the door that she nearly hugged the woman.

“You’re looking a little flushed. Are you feeling okay, Sophie?”

“Ah…sure. Just busy. The wedding tomorrow…catering…”

She managed to flee back into the kitchen without babbling anymore incoherent sentences, but she could still feel the heat of embarrassment covering her entire upper body. This time of year the kitchen was cozy warm but right now it felt stiflingly hot. She kept going through the large area where she spent most of her day and stepped out the back door for a breath of air. Thankfully the breeze was crisp and cool, the almost midday sun giving the back lane a cleaner look.

“I thought you quit smoking,” a familiar voice said from behind her.

“I did,” she answered, annoyed as hell that Nessie let him into the back of the store without at least giving her a heads-up. It took a lot of effort to maintain her “deliriously happy without you” façade.

“Then why are you out here taking a smoke break?”

“Because I own the damn store and can do what I want, when I want.” She turned around to confront her ex. “Why are you here, Malcolm?”

“I just wanted to check in with you and make sure you’re okay.”

Such a simple sentence but it was enough to deflate her anger instantly.

“You don’t need to do that,” she said quietly. They may have had their differences but they’d never actually hated each other, yet the last thing she needed was another big brother type of personality looking out for her. Was she destined to be everyone’s kid sister?

“I want to do that,” Malcolm said just as seriously. “Sophie, I don’t stop caring about someone just because we can’t live under the same roof peacefully.”

She blinked, a little taken aback by his description of their marriage. They’d actually lived very peacefully under the same roof. It had been their future they’d argued about, not the present at the time.

“Do you still work at
that
club?” she asked, desperately trying to remind herself of all the reasons why she was no longer married to this man. They’d had a perfectly fine relationship until Malcolm had taken a security job at a fetish club. It was the ideas he came home with that ultimately destroyed their marriage.