could melt a heart with just one smoldering look. He wanted to be more like his brothers, Doug and Shawn. Neither one of them ever had to worry over catching a woman’s attention. Their problem was trying to decide which one they wanted and on what night of the week.
But Doug was an assistant prosecutor in Bexar County, a fierce lion in the courtroom. And Shawn was a lieutenant on the San Antonio police force. They were both handsome and forceful, with jobs that women admired. Even as children, Mason had never felt as though he could compete with his stronger, older brothers. And time hadn’t changed Mason’s feelings. Sure, he had a great job and his physical appearance wasn’t exactly homely. But compared to his brothers, he was a geek.
If he ever expected to get Sophie to notice him, then he was going to have to be more like Doug and Shawn and a whole lot less like himself, he thought grimly.
* * *
More than an hour later, Mason was working when Sophie suddenly walked into his cubicle, nearly sending him into shock. The only time she’d ever stopped by his desk was when she’d personally helped him with a health insurance issue.
But it was clear this visit of hers had nothing to do with insurance. She was grinning from ear to ear and practically dancing on her toes.
She pulled up a chair and leaned her head close to his. The soft scent of her perfume swirled around him and tugged on his already dazed senses.
“Mason, I’m sorry if I’m interrupting your work,” she said in a hushed tone. “But I’m so excited I had to tell someone! And since I shared my plans with you last night—Well, it’s happened!”
Totally bemused, he stared at her beaming face. “It has?”
“Yes! Already! Can you believe it? Here I was thinking I was going to have to do handsprings out in the hall to get Thom to take a second look at me and all it took was a cup of exotic coffee.”
Mason had never felt so deflated in his life. “You two looked pretty chummy in the break room.”
“Chummy? Mason, you’re so funny.” Laughing lightly, she gave his knee a gentle squeeze. “He’s asked me out on a date! A real date! Tonight! Isn’t it incredible?”
Mason felt like handing her the letter opener on his desk and telling her to stab him right in the gut. The act would have been more merciful than the news she was giving him.
He looked into her brown eyes and wondered if they would ever shine for him the way they were shining at this moment.
“A date, huh? That was fast work.”
“You’re telling me! I only started my plan today. I never expected to have results this quick.” Her expression suddenly sobering, she glanced around the large room to make sure no one was listening. “Mason, you’re a really honest guy. Tell me, do you think Thom might’ve asked me out just because—well, because I’m Gerald Robinson’s daughter?”
Hell yes! Mason wanted to shout the words at her. But he held them back. One thing he was certain of, Sophie was a soft, gentle person. It would hurt her deeply if she thought her dream man might be using her for his own gain. Mason couldn’t do that to her. Not right now. He couldn’t bring himself to shatter the deliriously happy look on her face.
The more you insult Thom Nichols, the more Sophie will defend him. At this moment, Nadine’s words couldn’t have been more right.
Unable to keep looking her in the eye, Mason’s gaze drifted to the computer screen. But for all he could see, the words might as well have been written in a foreign language. “Oh, Sophie, I wouldn’t worry about that. Thom already has a good position in the company. He hardly needs you to help him get in your father’s good graces.”
“I guess that’s true enough,” she said quietly. “I shouldn’t have ever let the idea cross my mind. It’s just a date. Not a marriage proposal.”
Thank God, Mason thought. If that ever happened, he’d have to speak up.
“That’s true. And anyway, you’re an intelligent woman. You’d know right off if a man was trying to use you.”
Her eyes grew soft. And then suddenly without any warning at all, she leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his cheek.
“Thank you, Mason. You’re wonderful!”
To his utter amazement, she pressed another kiss to same spot she’d already branded with her lips, then jumped to her feet.
“Stop by my desk tomorrow and I’ll let you know how things go,” she told him, then with a wiggle of her fingers she hurried away.
Mason lifted fingertips to the spot she’d kissed not once, but twice. The skin was still tingling as though she’d stuck a naked electric wire to his cheek. If a simple kiss to the side of his face had caused this much reaction, the feel of her lips against his would probably have him dancing like a drunk idiot atop his desk.
Darting a glance toward Nadine’s desk, he realized the woman must have seen the whole interchange between him and Sophie. She was smiling broadly and giving him a thumbs up. The encouraging signal had Mason stifling a loud groan. Nadine didn’t know Sophie had merely stopped by to announce her date with Thom. And at the moment, Mason felt too sick to set his coworker straight.
* * *
Later that evening at the Robinson estate, Sophie was hurrying to her bedroom when her mother called out to her.
“Sophie? Why are you running through the house like a child?”
Laughing, Sophie stopped in her tracks and waited until her mother caught up to her.
“Probably because I feel like a happy kid tonight. Don’t you ever feel that way, Mother? Like kicking up your heels and doing pirouettes?”
“I like to think I’m in good physical condition for my age,” Charlotte told her daughter, “but I’m not exactly ready for ballet leaps and spins.”
For a woman in her midseventies, Sophie’s mother still looked youthful. Of course, it helped that she could afford to get routine facials and have her own personal trainer, along with a chef who designed meals to keep her weight down and her skin and hair glowing.
Smiling brightly, Sophie said, “I refuse to believe that, Mother. I happen to think you could dance all night.”
Charlotte pursed her lips with disapproval. “Those occasions are long over for me, Sophie.”
Sophie frowned. “That’s nonsense. Dad doesn’t think in those terms. He still does plenty of fun things.”
“Fun,” Charlotte repeated in a mocking tone. “Your father views the whole world as his playground. That will never change.”
It was a rare occasion that Charlotte made any sort of comment about her husband. More often than not, she went about her business as though Gerald didn’t exist.
Looping her arm through her mother’s, Sophie urged her down the hallway to her bedroom. “Come sit and help me pick out something nice to wear,” she told Charlotte. “I have a date tonight and I want to look extra special.”
“Who
