THE DREAM CHILD (9 page)
Authors: Emma Daniels
“Why did you stop?” Vera asked.
“I got married,” Sophie admitted.
“Oh, you’re married,” Vera’s eyes widened. “Now why did I get the impression you were single?”
“I’m divorced.” Sophie could tell from the slight frown marring her brow that didn’t go down too well. No doubt Vera came from the old school believing that you stuck by your man no matter what. Either that or she was one of the lucky few who still loved her husband and he still loved her.
For some reason Sophie felt the need to justify herself, so she added; “He left me because we couldn’t have any children. I for one would have kept on trying, but he’d had enough, so he gave me my marching orders.”
Adding that had the desired effect of turning the frown into sympathy.
“Oh, I can understand that very well. James and I tried for years and lost seven before we were finally able to have Victor. For the entire pregnancy I was terrified of the same thing happening. The doctor sewed him in and put me to bed, because I kept delivering too early.”
“I had a few miscarriages too, but probably for different reasons. You’re lucky you got there in the end, but I think my time has just about run out,” Sophie admitted.
“Why, you’re not that old, are you?” Janice asked.
“Almost thirty-six.”
“You look no more than thirty,” Janice complimented.
“Thanks,” Sophie murmured. She felt more like forty at the moment.
“All the movie stars are having babies well into their forties. Plenty of time, my dear,” Janice went on.
Sophie shook her head. “My ex and I went through IVF and the doctors there told us that the chance of a successful pregnancy after forty was next to none, and even after thirty-six they decrease sharply.”
“Is that true? Well, I’m glad we all started young in my day then,” Janice remarked.
“You really wanted a baby, didn’t you?” Vera said sympathetically.
“I think most women do.”
“Oh there’s plenty who don’t, from what I’ve heard,” Janice said.
“I think a lot of the time its circumstances that lead a woman in that direction, and then they’ll just say they were never interested to make it easier to bear,” Sophie said. She hadn’t reached that stage yet, wondering why she was discussing these issues with virtual strangers now.
But then she remembered some of the deep and meaningful conversations she’d had with her bead buddies, as they sat working on their various projects. Somehow craft brought out people’s problems, and sometimes it even helped to ease the pain, as they tried to help one another out.
“Hmm, you’ve brought up some really interesting issues,” Janice remarked. “Not just beading class, but also psychology class.”
“Ah, that’s the door bell. It’s probably my son back to take you home,” Vera said. “Which means I’d better hurry up and finish this necklace.”
Sure enough, Vic entered the room a few minutes later. He was still wearing his leather jacket and looked windblown and ruddy-cheeked.
“Still not finished,” he remarked on seeing Sophie and Vera with their heads bowed over their work.
‘No, too much time spent chatting. Would you like a cup of tea? You look like you’ve been out in the cold for too long,” Janice suggested.
“Thanks. That would be nice,” he replied, sitting down at the end of the table covered in boxes of beads and other assorted goodies.
‘I’ll get it just as soon as I have this…oh damn,” Vera muttered as a jump ring flipped across the table.
“No, you just stay there and finish your necklace. I know where everything is,’ Janice said, getting up to leave the room.
Victor picked the tiny ring up and handed it to Sophie. His hands did feel rather chilly as his fingers brushed against hers.
“Where did you go?” she asked, as she handed the ring back to Vera.
“Just a bit of a hike through the national park.”
“For him a
bit
of a hike is a three hour trek. He tried to take me on one once, Never again,” Vera muttered.
Vic merely laughed. “Do you like bush-walking Sophie?”
“I’ve done a bit, years ago. I have to admit I’m probably not fit enough for three hour treks… That’s it. You’ve done it. Your necklace is finished.”
Vera held it up against the light.
“It’s beautiful, Mum,” Vic said.
“Yes, it is,” Sophie agreed.
Vera studied it for a moment longer and then said; “Yes I’m very happy with it. Can’t wait to get started on a bracelet to match.”
“Well, it will have to wait until next week,” Sophie said. “And I’ll come on my own, so poor Vic here won’t have to go on another three hour walk in the cold.”
“I don’t mind driving you,” he said.
“I’m sure you’ve got plenty of other things to do. I’ll travel lighter anyway now that I know what we’re going to work on. Better start packing up.”
“And I’ll get your money for you,” Vera said, also getting to her feet. She put on her necklace before leaving the room. The other women began opening their purses, and before she knew it Sophie had quite a substantial sum of money in her hand.
As they all got up to leave, the other two women thanked her for her time and patience.
“We had a lovely time, and are really looking forward to next week. And if Vera’s son offers to drive you again, you accept, all right,” Janice added softly.
That made Sophie stop to stare at her, but the older woman merely smiled enigmatically at her.
Sophie let out a long sigh once she was sitting in the air conditioned car. She leant her head back against the head rest and closed her eyes.
“Sounds like my mother and her friends wore you out,” Victor remarked from beside her.
‘Just a little. And tomorrow I have to go to work where
you
can wear me out.”
“I’ll try not to push you too hard. And I really do want to drive you next Sunday.”
She glanced at his profile. “Why?”
“Because I want to.”
“Well, if you’re sure…”
“I’m absolutely, positively, undeniably sure.”
“Are you sure you couldn’t be any more sure than that?”
“Oh Sophie,” he laughed. “You really are something, you know.” Once again he covered her hand with his, startling her. “Hey, relax. I’m only holding your hand, not trying to ravish you.”
Just why was he holding her hand? she wondered. Surely he wasn’t attracted to her, not ordinary Sophie, when he was handsome enough to have any woman he wanted. But she didn’t say anything, merely enjoying the feel of his large warm fingers curled around hers.
They drove like this for most of the way, holding hands, listening to the music on the radio, barely saying a word. The silence between them didn’t feel uncomfortable. In fact Sophie was glad he didn’t want to talk, and she felt herself doze off, until he announced; “We’re here.”
Victor followed her up the stairs to her unit, once again carrying the box.
“I don’t think its any lighter,” he said once they reached her landing. “You mustn’t have given them enough beads to work with.”
“Yes, I packed way too much.” She unlocked the door and showed him to the spare room, where he set the box down on the floor under the desk. Sophie tucked the travel back into the corner behind the door.
“Thanks for that,” she said. “I guess I’ll see you at work tomorrow.”
Victor knew this was his cue to go, but he didn’t want to leave her just yet. “Would you like to go out for dinner, or something?” he heard himself suggest.
“I’m not really hungry. Your mother fed me way too well.”
“Well, in that case…”
She turned around to face him, and in the small room they stood only about a foot apart. Victor breeched the gap between them, so that she had to look up to meet his gaze.
“I want to kiss you Sophie… so much,” he murmured softly, reaching out to stroke her cheek. His touch felt just as it had in her dreams, tender, warm, and electric.
Before she knew it he’d dipped his head to brush his lips against hers. His mouth felt like satin against hers. Her hands automatically reached for him, coming to rest against his broad leather covered shoulders.
“I – I want to kiss you too,” she whispered back, as his mouth met hers again.
His arms snaked around her waist, and he pulled her up against his lean strong body. It made her gasp against his mouth.
“Mmmm,” he murmured, deepening the kiss, his tongue meeting with hers.
She slipped her arms around his neck, her fingers sliding into his hair. This felt so good it sent white hot blasts of desire shooting through his body, till he was hard and hot against her.
He pressed her harder against him, making her instantly aware of how aroused he was. He did want her, she realised with a shiver of delight.
“God, I think I really do want to ravish you,” he admitted, burying his face in her hair. She felt his hot breath against her ear. It sent another shiver through her. He kissed her earlobe. It tickled.
“I… I don’t think that would be a good idea… I mean… How on earth am I going to face you at work now?” She squirmed against him, her body delighting in the hard feel of his.
He chuckled, kissing her cheek. “The same way you always do. I promise to keep my hands to myself at work…. You feel so good in my arms, Sophie, so warm and soft. I don’t want to let you go.”
“I feel the same way about you, but I can’t say you feel soft, more like hard as a rock,” she admitted, pressing herself against the telling bulge in his jeans.
“Stop that, will you? Or I’ll – “
She brought a silencing finger to his lips. “One more kiss and then you go. All right?”
“I know, one sweet step at a time, but it’s hard to take things slowly with you – “
She silenced him with another kiss, stroking the side of his face with the pads of her thumbs, feeling the faint stubble of new beard.
He tasted even better in real life than he had in her dreams, so musky and manly. He was totally intoxicating, making her feel like she was drowning in his hungry kiss. He really did seem to want to devour her by the way his mouth moved against hers, and the way his tongue danced an erotic game of hide and seek with her own.
It was by far the sexiest kiss she’d had in her life.
He drank in everything she was prepared to give, and still wanted more.
But Victor knew they’d gone far enough for now. He knew with her he had to tread slowly. She’d been hurt just as much as he had. He wanted to make her happy, as happy as she made him, and if it meant leaving her now, he’d make himself do it. There was always tomorrow.
Reluctantly he let her go. “Goodnight Sophie. Sleep well,” he said, gently touching her cheek again.
“Do you honestly think I’m going to get any sleep after what just happened?”
“Well, you could always try dreaming about me instead,” he suggested with a wink, and turned around to leave the room.
“What?” she gasped at his departing back.
“Just kidding,” she heard him say from the living room.
She followed him across the floor to the front door, but he already had it open.
“See you tomorrow,” he said, and stepped through it. It shut on it’s own behind him, and Sophie merely stood rooted to the spot in the middle of her living room.
She was sure his comment about the dreams had been a joke, but it still left her feeling disconcerted and ill at ease.
Just what had those dreams been trying to tell her?
He’d shown up in her life only days after they had stopped. Sophie had never been much of a believer in destiny or fate, or any other kind of paranormal nonsense for that matter, so she could only conclude it was a crazy kind of coincidence.
Life had dealt her too many body blows for her to have any kind of faith in miracles or powers from above.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Sophie found getting through the following week a real chore. Not only was she even tireder than before, she felt even sicker. She was also having a great deal of trouble coping with Vic’s presence in the office.
True to his word, he kept all interaction between them at a professional level, but Sophie found it difficult to look at him without remembering that devastating kiss. The way he continued to carry on as normal made her wonder if he’d changed his mind about her, having come to the obvious conclusion that getting involved with a work colleague was a bad idea.
