“No, I just want to meet Emma and then get to the house in Del Rio, leave our clothes in a heap by the front door, and fall into bed with you,” he said.
“Me too.” She buried her head in his shoulder for an extra minute, then laced her fingers in his and led him to the porch. “Teddy, this is my best friend, Em Merrill. Em, this is Teddy.”
Emma stood up and nodded. “I’m glad to finally meet the man who puts a smile on Sophie’s face every time his name is mentioned. We can even tell when she just thinks about you!”
“The pleasure is all mine. She’s told me all about you. Congratulations on the paintings that Leo took yesterday,” Teddy said.
“Are you sure about me going away for a whole week?” Sophie asked one more time.
Teddy held up two fingers. “Ten days or two weeks. One of my surprises is that we got a showing in Rome as well, so we’ll be staying over a few extra days.”
“Oh. My. Sweet. Lord!” Sophie’s hands shook like Emma’s did when she was nervous. Two whole weeks away with Teddy would be heaven, but then she heard Emma’s quick intake of breath and felt guilty.
Emma smiled so wide that you could see her back teeth. “You’ve earned this, Sophie. Congratulations! Take lots of pictures to share with all of us when you get home.”
Sophie hoped that she had mistaken Emma’s reaction for fear when it was really happiness for her that she’d also been booked in Rome. “My phone number is on the refrigerator. Use the landline all you want and call me anytime, night or day.”
“Here’s your suitcase.” Emma handed it to her and then gave her a hug. “Now, get out of here, and don’t worry. Teddy, get her out of this place before the waterworks start.”
Teddy took the suitcase from her and then draped his arm around Sophie’s shoulders. “No tears from either of you or you’ll make me cry, and then Em will think I’m a big wuss.”
“All right, then, I guess we should go, but . . . ,” Sophie started.
Teddy gently pulled her toward his truck. “Goodbye, Em. We’ll see you soon.”
“Get on out of here so I can paint something with that beautiful sunrise in the background,” Emma scolded with a big smile on her face.
Emma stood on the porch and waved until the vehicle was out of sight. Sophie kept one arm out the window of Teddy’s truck and waved back at her until they made the first curve in the dirt road and she couldn’t see the park anymore.
Teddy laid a hand on her shoulder. “She’s going to be fine, but I’m a little worried about you.”
“We were friends of the heart.” Sophie sighed. “Do you know what that is?”
“Nope, can’t say as I do,” he answered.
“Neither of us was popular. We weren’t accepted in school. I was poor and she was rich, but neither of us fit in with the other kids, not even the nerds. But . . .” Her voice cracked.
“So you bonded and then you were ripped apart. Knowing that you were in the same area and yet not being able to see each other anymore would be worse than if one of you had died.” Teddy gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze. “I love you, Sophie Mason.”
“I love you right back, and thanks for understanding. I feel so guilty that I didn’t try harder to stay in her life. She’s coming out of her shell so well now that she’s away from her mother and those awful institutions. I’m just afraid that she’ll . . .” Sophie wiped a tear away from her eye.
“If she does, she will call,” Teddy reassured her. “She wouldn’t want you to fret like this, and she sure wouldn’t want you to feel guilty over things you couldn’t control in the past. You’ve stepped up now, and that’s what’s important.”
Sophie took his hand in hers and held it close to her cheek. “Thank you for always knowing how to make me feel better.”
“That’s my job.” He wiggled his eyebrows. “Of course, I have other, more important jobs, like taking you straight to bed when we get to the house I’ve rented.”
“I thought that was my job.” She finally let go of the sadness and laughed.
“I think I remember Rebel telling us years ago that the best way to get to know someone was to work together, so . . .” His eyes started at her toes and went to her head.
“Keep your eyes on the road or we’ll never make it to that bed,” she teased.
“Blessed are they who wait, for they shall . . . ,” he began.
“Make love,” she said, and then quickly fastened her seat belt. “And we both better watch for lightning bolts to jump out of the sky and fry us for being sacrilegious.”
Later that evening, Sophie propped herself up on an elbow and stared her fill of Teddy. He looked so much younger than his thirty-five years when he was sleeping. His heavy lashes fanned out on his high cheekbones, and he was so much at peace. She rolled out of the king-size bed on the other side, picked up his plaid shirt, and buried her nose in the collar. She loved the woodsy aroma of his cologne and wished that she could always go to sleep in his arms and wake up in them.
Where did that come from? that pesky voice in her head asked. You’re the first one to admit that you are afraid of commitment.
She slipped her arms into the shirt, buttoned it up, and eased the door shut when she left the room. The house was exactly what she would want in a home if she ever gave up her loft and bought a place. The front door opened into the open living space—a living room, kitchen, and dining area all in one. A hallway led to a master bedroom with a huge walk-in closet and a private bathroom. Stairs led up to two more bedrooms and a bathroom on the second floor. Roses were already blooming at the edge of a wide veranda that had a porch swing back in the shadows.
Teddy came out of the bedroom and slipped both of his arms around her waist. “Now, I’d say after that amazing lovemaking that we’ve been working together in the best way possible.”
“If we were judging, I’d give it a ten out of ten.” She flipped around and put her arms around his neck. “And now I’m starving.”
“Supper will be delivered pretty soon.” He had pulled on a pair of pajama pants and a tank top, but the clothing that they’d worn into the house was scattered from the door all the way down the hallway.
“Oh, really? And what’s for dessert?” she asked.
“That’s your department.” He grinned.
“Then ice cream it is,” she teased.
“We’ll need it after Mexican food and before another round of hot sex.” He slid a sly wink her way.
The doorbell rang, and Teddy picked up his jeans from the floor and slipped his billfold from the hip pocket. Sophie took down a couple of plates from the cabinet and some cutlery from a drawer and had the table set when he brought the sacks of food into the kitchen area. While he opened the covered containers, she got two beers from the refrigerator. He pulled a chair out with a flourish and motioned for her to sit down.
“You are lookin’ lovely tonight, my darlin’,” he whispered.
“You don’t look so shabby yourself.” She smiled up at him and put two chicken enchiladas on her plate.
He picked up her hand and kissed her knuckles. “Be honest with me, Sophie. What do you think of this house?”