Chapter Four
Sofia slapped the paint onto the wall, then smoothed it out, making sure there was no bubbles or imperfection in it. The white matte paint went on easily and she found it meditative and relaxing to sweep it across the expanse. Soon, priceless artworks would be hung on it and she owed it to them, and to Desiree and Ivo, to make sure the gallery looked it best.
She had been here a month now, working long hours, longing even than Desiree demanded, to help the gallery get ready for its grand opening in two months. Sofia was desperate to pay back her two mentors for all they had done for her and yet…she cautioned herself against getting too close to either of them. Desiree was also her landlady, but Sofia tried to not to infringe too much on her life. Unlike Sofia, Desiree was a social creature and often had dinner parties and gatherings. Sofia would join in to be polite but more often than not, she would use the fact Desiree was distracted to go hide out and sketch. Since talking with Ivo and Desiree non-stop about art, she had become even more obsessed, striving to better her own techniques, learning new ones, experimenting. She found she loved color and abstract more and more and played with colors that shouldn’t go together but did.
And then there was Ivo. They spent time together almost every day, playfully flirting as well as talking late into the night sometimes. Sofia’s heart soared whenever she saw him, and his smile indicated he felt the same, but she held back. She couldn’t let herself fall for him, because if she did, she could lose him and that would kill her. There were times when it was all she could do not to touch him, to stroke her hand through his hair. The days when they casually held hands seemed to be drifting away, and it made her sad. She had never wanted anybody so much in her life – she had never wanted anyone else, period.
But he was so, so out of her league. A couple of weeks after she had left the hospital, his parents, divorced but obviously still best friends, came to see him and he had introduced her to them. They were a riot, so much fun, and they made a fuss over her but still Sofia felt the divide. They lived in a world she was no longer entitled to visit.
She was thinking about this as she and Ivo sat in a café near Notre Dame. On the plate in front of her, a pastry lay untouched and Ivo nudged her. “Are you sick again? Because that’s the first time I’ve seen you leave something uneaten in I don’t know how long.”
He was teasing of course, and she smiled. “No, I’m good, just thinking.”
“About?”
She met his gaze. “I don’t know where I fit in this world anymore.”
Ivo’s eyebrows shot up and he put his coffee cup down. “Sofia…you fit into this world. You have steered your own path, you are unique.”
She shook her head. “No, I haven’t and that’s the trouble, Ivo. I went from my step-father’s house to being a homeless kid to Desiree’s house. All was decided by others not me.”
Ivo looked a little confused. “You feel…dictated to?”
She shook her head. “No, believe me I am grateful, it’s just…I can’t paint walls forever. I just don’t know what it is I’m looking for.”
Ivo nodded, understanding. “Well, what’s your passion?”
She met his gaze. You. You are my passion. She knew her desire must be written all over her face. She saw it in his too. He leaned forward. “Sofia…”
His lips were so close to hers. Sofia drew in a deep breath, anticipating the feel of his mouth on hers, finally.
“Ivo? Ivo Zacca?”
Sofia’s eyes flew open and they both looked around to see a beautiful blonde woman, nervous, almost shaking, staring at them. Ivo’s eyes clouded over but he forced a smile onto his face.
“Clemence?”
The blonde woman nodded. “Of course, it’s me.” She had her hands on the large bump in her belly. Ivo looked shocked and in a flash, Sofia knew why. This must be his ex-girlfriend, the one he had broken up with seven months ago.
And that was definitely a near-term baby bump in her belly. Sofia stood, her legs trembling. “Excuse me. I’ll leave you two to talk.”
As she walked away, she half-expected Ivo to follow her but he didn’t and that told her everything she needed to know. Ivo had guessed too.
It was his baby.
Ivo stared after Sofia, too shell-shocked to say anything. He looked at Clemence, the belly bump and shook his head. “Clemence?”
She nodded and sat down in the chair that Sofia had just vacated. “Yes, it’s yours, Ivo. I didn’t cheat on you.”
“Oh god…why the hell didn’t you tell me?”
“At first, I didn’t know. I was only a month gone and I hadn’t even missed my period yet. Then, when you made it clear that you wanted out, my pride would not let me tell you. It’s a girl, Ivo.”
Ivo felt so any emotions flood through his body. Fear, joy, anger, sadness. He looked up again to where he could still see Sofia’s retreating back in the distance. Clemence followed his line of sight. “Who is she?” Her tone was gentle, unreproachful.
Ivo struggled to say what he felt, settling for, “She’s a friend.”
Clemence studied him. “But she’s more than that, isn’t she?”
Dumbly, he nodded. “You love her,” Clemence continued. “Good. That’s good. Someone should love you, be loved by you. You’re a remarkable man, Ivo.”
“I hurt you, Clemmie.”
She nodded. “Yes, but in the end, you were right. We weren’t in love anymore. I have a new love now,” she smiled, running her hand over her belly, before her eyes turned serious again. “And you can be as involved as you like, Ivo. I have no expectations, or nor do I wish to wreck your life.”
Ivo reached out, asking permission with his eyes and Clemence nodded. He lay his palm against her belly. “A girl?”
She smiled. “I thought I would name her Peony.”
“Your favourite flower. That’s beautiful, Clem.”
“I’m glad you like it. I have a sonogram photo.” She dug around in her purse. “This was taken at about five months. The doctors said she was perfect so they didn’t need another one after that, although I tried to persuade them to do another. I’m so impatient, I want to meet her.”
Ivo smiled as she handed him the image. A jolt went through him as he stared at the sonogram of his daughter. “God, Clem…you see these on the television all the time, but when it’s yours…”
“I felt the exact same way. I wanted to come home to France to have her. I swear I’m not stalking you.”
Ivo laughed. “It never crossed my mind.” He handed the sonogram back, but Clem shook her head.
“Keep it, I have copies.”
“I want to be involved, Clem.”
She nodded. “And so, you shall be.” She smiled at him. “Ivo, I know you. You’re sitting there thinking of some grand gesture, asking me to marry you for the sake of our child. Please, don’t do it. I would have to say no. Us parting was for the best and now, especially, when I see the love you have for that young girl.”
“You got that from that brief encounter?”
Clem touched his face. “I was watching you for about ten minutes. You never, ever looked at me the way you looked at…?”
“Sofia.”
“At Sofia. Who is she? I’m interested to know.”
Ivo gave her the backstory and she nodded. “Yes, that sounds right, Ivo as white knight.”
He was a little stung. “I’m that predictable?”
Clemence grinned at him. “Yes. In that situation, yes. Well, man, what are you waiting for? Go get your girl.”
“It’s not that simple. She works for Desi now and I don’t want to compromise that. She’s young, twenty-one to my thirty-seven. And she’s been so hurt by others, I don’t think I could risk losing her trust for the sake of…”
“Happy ever after?”
Ivo sighed. “Well, when you put it like that.”
Clemence squeezed his hand. “Talk to the girl. Ask her to be honest about what she wants. Tell her what you want. Work it out. Don’t waste love, Ivo. Don’t be like your parents.”
Ivo was shocked. “What?”
“Look at them. Divorced and yet they spend every moment together.”
“They’re best friends, Clem.”
“And I get that…but why sleep around when they have that connection already there. I know your father is a man-whore but…”
Ivo chuckled. “Okay, okay. Look, I’d love for them to get back together officially, but it’s up to them. Clem, you weren’t there when they were married – they made each other miserable, being tied to each other.”
“And you are the exact opposite of them, Ivo.” Clemence leaned forward and kissed his cheek. “I’m staying at the George V, Ivo, and you can call me anytime. You won’t miss a moment of this baby, but for now, go, go get your girl.”
Sofia had gone straight back to Desiree’s apartment. She had the day off and Desiree was at work, so she had time to process what had happened. She stripped off and stepped under a hot shower. Ivo was going to be a father. That’s what it looked like. So what, Sofia told herself, it’s not like you were with him, or that he cheated or anything. He is not yours, Amory. And he would make a fantastic father.
But she couldn’t help the painful lump that had settled in her chest. He’d been about to kiss her, she was sure, and, god, she had longed for that moment for weeks, but maybe this was the best. He would obviously reunite with the mother of his child and she, Sofia, could carry on being his friend, carry on working for Desiree, under the radar but settled, safe and building an independent life.
She dried her hair and dressed, then pulled out her sketch book. She had been working on a pencil portrait of Ivo, from memory, but now she turned the page to a fresh page. Thinking for a long moment, she began to draw an outline, a random building, one of the gorgeous apartment buildings she’d seen along the Seine. She focused in on the details she could visualize and got so into it she didn’t hear the soft knock at the door at first. Looking up as another knock came, she shoved her sketch pad under her pillow and went to answer the door. Her heart began to thump when she saw Ivo outside.
Ivo grinned at her, but his eyes gave away his wariness. “Hey you. You okay?”
She gave him a cheery smile, then realized how fake it looked. “I’m good. How was your friend?”
“Pregnant, but you knew that. Came I come in?”
Sofia shook herself. “Sorry, yes, of course.”
Ivo touched her cheek as he walked in. “Come sit with me, I need to talk to you.”
She followed him into the living room and he held out his hand and made her sit next to him. Sofia felt her face flame. “So…”
“So…yes, the baby is mine.”
Okay, rip the Band-Aid off. “Congratulations.”
Ivo smiled. “Thank you. Even though I was blindsided, I think I’m pretty excited about it.”
Seeing his joy made Sofia’s heart lighter. As long as he was happy, it was all she wanted for him. “I mean it, Ivo, you’ll make a wonderful dad. Believe me, I know about bad parenting.”
He stroked a finger down her face. “Sofia…Clemence and I are not getting back together. Neither of us want that. She’s moved on and is happy. I’ve moved on too.”
“But the baby?”
“I’ll be as involved as she’ll let me be. It’s a girl, by the way. Poesy, that’s what Clemence wants to call her.” He pulled the sonogram picture out and showed it to her. Sofia saw the happiness in his eyes and smiled.
“She’s beautiful.”
Ivo chuckled. “You’re sweet – I still can’t make out what’s what part of her.”
Sofia giggled and pointed. “That’s the head, doofus.”
“It is?” He put the sonogram down on the coffee table, then took Sofia’s hands. “Sofia, I think you know what I’m about to say. There’s no chance of Clem and I reuniting because I’m already crazy someone else and I don’t even think I need to tell you who it is, but I want to say the words. I want to be with you, Sofia Amory.”
Sofia felt her cheeks flame and she began to tremble. Ivo leaned in and finally, she felt his lips against hers. Ivo kissed her tenderly, his lips moving slowly against hers. Sweet sensations shivered through her body and then he was pulling her closer. Her fingers tangled in his hair as they drank each other in, panting for air. “You have made me feel so wanted, so cared for and I adore you, so, so, much,” she whispered and Ivo smiled, his beautiful green eyes filling with tears.
His hands slid under her t-shirt and she gasped at the feel of his hands on her skin. She had never wanted anyone so badly – and she had never done this before, but her hands seemed to have a mind of their own, roaming over his hard body.
He pushed her back gently on the couch, pushing her t-shirt up and pressing his lips to her belly. Sofia sighed with pleasure as his tongue circled her navel then dipped into it, his fingers at the buttons on her denim shorts. She felt no nervousness as he gently slid her shorts, then her underwear down her legs. She had imagined this moment with a guy a hundred times before, wondered if she’d be shy, cover her groin, be scared that he’d think she was ugly down there, but with this man, this man who had saved her life, who had given her a life, she wanted him to explore every inch of her. The moment his mouth found her clit, she gasped at the feeling of his tongue lashing around the sensitive nub, teasing it into a state of unbearable excitement.
“Ivo...”
He looked up and grinned, his eyes twinkling, alive with desire. “You’re so pretty, baby,” he whispered. She stroked his dark curls as he continued to pleasure her. He brought her to a shattering climax, before scooping her up into his arms and carrying her to her bedroom. Her lips found his chest as she pulled his t-shirt off, her own tongue flicking around his nipples. Ivo freed her breasts from her bra and caressed them, and Sofia impatiently went for his zipper. When she freed his cock from his underwear, it was already ramrod hard and pulsating in her hands. He was huge. Suddenly she was scared. How the hell am I going to be able to take him inside me?
“Ivo…I…” She couldn’t get the words out. Ivo kissed her then gazed back at her with concerned eyes.
“What is it, baby?”
Just say it. “I’m a virgin.” She waited for him to bolt up and looked shocked and uncomfortable. Instead he gave her a gentle smile.
“I figured. Sofia, we don’t have to do anything you don’t want to.”
Sofia let out a deep breath. “Oh, I want to, Ivo…I really do. Have you got a condom?” She realized nervously that the question wasn’t romantic and cursed herself.
He nodded, grinning, flicking one between his thumb and forefinger. “In the back of my jeans. Listen, beautiful one, there’s no rush…I’ll make sure you’re so relaxed that it won’t hurt, and I swear, I will make you come over and over.”
She groaned and pulled his head down so she could kiss him again. Ivo kept his promise. He kissed and caressed every part of her body, trailing his lips along the lengths of her slender legs, biting down gently on the fleshy inner thighs, teasing her belly with his tongue. He took each of her nipples into his mouth and sucked on them until Sofia was delirious, and when finally, he gently hitched her legs around his waist, his cock huge and straining to be inside her, she didn’t feel any pain as he slowly pushed into her. Sofia thought she might die of happiness right there. He made love to her slowly, tenderly, rhythmic measured strokes, his eyes never leaving her face, his mouth on hers or murmuring tender words to her, making sure she was okay. Sofia clawed at his back, wanting his cock to go deeper, harder and as his pace quickened, she gasped and moaned until stars exploded in her visions and she came, shivering, crying out his name.
Ivo groaned her name, burying his face in her neck as he too reached his peak but she made him look at her. She wanted to see the ecstasy in his face, know that she had given him as much pleasure as he had her. She looked into his beautiful green eyes and knew she had.
“Bella, bella, bella…” God, his voice, deep and low and with that accent, her whole body was set aflame at the sound of it.
“Ivo… Ivo…” she said, tightening her legs around him. They were recovering, but Ivo hadn’t yet withdrawn from her. She wished he didn’t have to. The feeling of his magnificent cock inside her was like nothing she had ever experienced before. Her thighs were like jelly, her vagina pulsed still, clenching his cock, still half erect. “Stay inside me.”
He grinned at her ruefully. “There’s nothing I’d like more, baby, but this condom…”
She laughed and released him. “Be right back,” he said and darted to the little bathroom just off her room.
Sofia laid on her back. Her body felt…like someone else’s, her limbs liquified, her heart pounding, her breath only just returning to normal. She heard the toilet flush and the faucet running, then he was back. “Wait, Ivo, stop. I want to look at you.”
Grinning shyly, Ivo leaned against the doorway as Sofia took in every inch of his sensational body. Apart from his height, his shoulders were broad, his shoulders muscles and strong. His olive skin was tanned, which made his big green eyes look brighter against the color. His dark hair was wild about his head, his beard three days old and dark against his skin. His smile was…god…it softened his features making them boyish. Even so, he radiated machismo. His face, so beautiful one moment, and dangerous the next made her heart pound against her ribs, her belly quiver with pure longing. She crawled to the edge of the bed. “I want to touch you,” she whispered and held out her hand. He took it and stepped to the edge of the bed. Sofia ran her hands over the planes of his chest, traced each bicep with her tongue, down his flat stomach, rimming his navel the way he had to her. His thickly muscled arms came up to hold her head and he dipped his own to kiss her, his tongue massaging hers.
“You’re so beautiful, little one.”
She gazed up at him, feeling utterly vulnerable, and so, so loved. She giggled and pushed her breasts against his erect cock, caressed it with them and he laughed, rolling his eyes, but she could feel how aroused he was by her body and it made her feel like a goddess.
He slid his hands on either side of her face, his thumbs stroking gently on her cheeks. The way he was looking at her made her body tremble. “You make me weak, Ivo Zacca.”
Then, with only a little hesitation, Sofia took his cock into her mouth. God, the clean taste of him, salty pre-cum on the sensitive tip. She traced a pattern around it with her tongue, hearing his soft groan of desire, feeling his hands stroking her hair. She licked the entire length of his cock, one hand mirroring her tongue on the opposite side, the other gently massaging his balls. She began to suck, increasingly the pressure until he came, shooting onto her tongue. She swallowed him down and looked up at him smiling. “Did I do that right?”
Ivo was trembling and laughing, damp hair stick to his forehead. “Damn, Sofia, yes, that was incredible.”
He pulled her close to him and kissed her, before gently pushing her back onto the bed. “Sweet one, I don’t have any more condoms, and given my situation, I think we’d better not risk any more until…our stocks are replenished.”
“Romantic.” She laughed as he pulled a face. “Well, Mr. Zacca, I have to say, for an initiation, you may have spoiled me for other men.”
He grinned. “I should hope so, because I don’t intend on letting you go.”
Sofia’s smile faded. “Don’t say that. Don’t promise forever. Just promise tonight and tomorrow and we’ll go from there.”
Ivo nodded, understanding. “I will prove to you that you can trust in me, Sofia. No-one will ever treat you like your old family again.”
She touched his face and kissed him. “Thank you.”
Ivo lay down beside her and ran his hand down her body. “Can I take you to dinner?”
Sofia laughed. “Always. I think I might need fries of some type.”
“The French kind?” He chuckled as she tickled him. “Ow, woman. Stop that. What’s digging in my back?”
He turned and pulled her sketch book from under her pillow. His eyes widened. “You draw?”
Sofia had to make a split-second decision whether to tell him or not. He hadn’t yet opened the book, looking at her with a question in his eyes. Hesitating briefly, she took a deep breath in and nodded. Ivo opened her sketchbook.