I'm about to sink onto one of the cushioned chairs when a deep voice startles me.
"Are you enjoying yourself?"
My heart rate accelerates as I turn toward the voice. In the dimness, I can't make out all of the man's features, but I can tell he's tall with broad shoulders. His hair appears dark, and as he nears, so do his eyes, although there is a flash of green. Maybe it's the reflection of the pool's lights.
"I-I'm sorry. I'm about to call for my ride," I say as I fumble for my phone in my purse.
The man steps closer, and I wonder if he could be the host. As he nears, I take in his attire. The party was formal, and he's wearing a tuxedo. The tie is now loosened, and I can't stop my grin. It's a real tie, one he had to actually tie into a bow, not the clip kind boys my age would wear to a dance.
"It's beautiful. Isn't it?" His voice fades into the sound of the soft waves on the shore as he stands with one hand in his pocket, looking out over the bay.
Following his gaze, I nod. "It is. I would never tire of this as my backyard."
His laugh rumbles, sending vibrations to my core. For only a moment I'm afraid he's making fun of me, but then he turns and extends his hand.
"Hardly a yard. The water is paradise. Come see. There's a manatee getting closer."
I do as he says. As his fingers encase mine, my steps momentarily stutter. There's something in his touch, warmth that shoots through me from my fingers to my toes. It’s like electricity.
Shyly I raise my eyes to his, wondering if he feels it too.
Instead of confirming or denying, he pulls me closer to the edge of the stone decking. Without letting go of my hand, he points with his other. "Look. See the ripples?"
"I do!" I keep my excitement to a stage whisper.
The water moves. The rays of moonlight no longer reflect, showcasing the large water mammal.
"Oh, it's so big!"
He turns toward me with a lopsided grin. "Words to a man's heart."
I fight to pull my hand away, knowing that pink is filling my cheeks. "I meant the manatee. If I hadn't lived the last eight years in Florida, I would be petrified with one so close."
He releases my hand and casually wraps his arm around my shoulder. "Then I wish you were new to the area."
I try to swallow as I turn within his grasp, facing him. "You do?"
"Yes, then you would be a damsel in distress, and I could protect you."
"A true knight in shining armor?"
His embrace of my shoulders lowers to the small of my back as he pulls me closer. "No, Sophie Hawkins, I'm not a knight."
Sophie
"Wait. How do you know my name?"
My heart pounds against the buttons of his tuxedo as he brings my breasts crashing against his chest. "Because I've known you for most of your life. I've been waiting all night to get you alone."
I stare up at his handsome face. I must be dreaming. Maybe it's my mind—I'm tired. I need sleep.
"How?"
He holds me out to arm’s length. "Look at me, Sophie, with those gorgeous blue eyes you had even as a child. Look at me. Tell me you don't know me."
My lips disappear behind my teeth as I do as he says. The moon combined with the light streaming from the windows creates the only illumination as I stare up at Mr. Hamilton—dark hair and green eyes.
He can't be the man in my memories, the one I've fantasized about. He'd be older now. This man doesn't seem older, not really. He is as sexy and dominating as I remember, even more so. His presence consumes me. I feel small in his embrace but not young.
The pulsating between my legs tells me that I feel nothing like the child who used to idolize him. I'm a woman, a woman who wants my fantasies to become reality.
"M-Mr. Hamilton? Matt Hamilton?"
His lips move upward, revealing his million-dollar smile. As I gaze up into his handsome face, my body relaxes against his, fluid in his grasp, while conversely his hardens, his erection probing my stomach.
I've never been with a man, nothing more than heavy petting. They all paled in comparison to my fantasies, but by the way my body is reacting, it knows the truth my mind has just begun to accept.
This is Matt Hamilton, and he is my fantasy.
My face inclines toward his. "How? Why?"
Before he answers, one of his hands captures my neck and pulls me the few inches closer until our lips connect.
Heat radiates from our kiss like lightning flashing through me, igniting streaks of fire from my lips to my toes and back again. It's like no kiss I've ever had. Matt takes and gives without concern for the future.
Here, now. It's all that matters as I moan while simultaneously catching my breath.
"I've dreamt about this," I manage to say. "Maybe I'm dreaming?"
The hand from my neck moves possessively down my side, skimming the side of my breast. His touch is fire that doesn't burn but smolders.
"Oh!"
This isn’t a dream. Every nerve in my body is suddenly alive, and I want more. Maybe it is only one night, a fantasy, but as I squeeze my thighs together, I know that without a doubt, I want Matt Hamilton to be my first.
And then I remember my childhood friend.
I take a painful step away from him, backing away from my every dream. "What about your wife?"
He shakes his head. "We've been divorced for over five years."
"So you're not...you're not married?"
"I haven't been for a while, but I'd like to be."
"Is there someone...someone you're seeing?" I ask.
"I am seeing someone. I’d like to see more of her.” His smile grows. “I'm looking at her right now."
Matt
I can't believe Sophie is really here. I know people might think my obsession with her is wrong, but it isn't. I’ve been divorced for five years and she's an adult. She's eighteen, and I can’t deny my need to make her mine.
She entered my heart as a child, a beautiful, fun-loving child. She was always so happy and upbeat. I loved the breath of fresh air she brought to our home. Her presence did more than make Becky happy; it lightened everyone around her.
Becky's mother and I went through our problems—we even tried counseling with a sex therapist, Dr. Kizer—and over time, I forgot about the sweet little girl with the big blue eyes. I moved on with my life and my business. Things went well with business. It dominated my world. I've been extremely successful.
My personal life side not so much.
And then I stumbled across something about Sophie on one of my daughter's Facebook memories. I dug a little more and learned about the loss of Sophie’s parents and her struggles. It broke my heart to think of the carefree happy girl being sad.
I watched from afar. At first, my goal was to help her financially. Obviously, she's working too much for someone so young. I never see pictures of her out having fun like others her age. Instead, her posts are about school and work, too much for someone so young. Then as she matured, I longed to see a carefree woman, an older version of the little girl.
Now, the way she's looking at me, I can only hope that she hasn't forgotten me or doesn’t think of me as some old man.