Chapter Six - Stolen Kisses

Sofia stopped running when she was leaning against the back of her door. She locked it behind her. She hadn't checked if he was following her but she prayed not, sliding down till she sat against the door with her legs drawn up against her.

"Why? Why him?" She sobbed silently. Why did she have to feel the spark with him of all people?

She bent her head, she'd always thought her spark would be with the perfect guy. A very romantic one at that but this? .... She stayed there, visibly troubled. He was probably the world's greatest ever Casanova. Why him? She mused over it, losing track of time. She even ended up sleeping in that position.

That night, she awoke, feeling uncomfortable. She actually dropped to the floor seconds after she got up, feeling dizzy. Sofia groaned, all her limbs felt dead. Just then, Jessi called her.

"Hey, Soph."

"What's up?" Sofia asked, as she crawled over and leaned against her sofa.

"What happened between you and Ryan?" Jessi asked and immediately regretted it.

"How do u know I met with him?" Sofia asked, catching on, immediately. "Were you the one that told him where to find me?"

"Weeeellllll..... Sorry I couldn't resist." Jessi replied, a fingernail in her teeth as she braced herself for her friend's barrage.

"Why would you do that Jessi?" Sofia asked exasperatedly and Jessi nodded, completely expecting this. "You've put me in a really tight corner, Jess."

*Ok ok.* Jessi said within herself. *Not half as big an outburst as she'd expected and no Spanish? The issue must be really serious.*

"What's up?" Jessi asked, really into the conversation now.

"Ok, Ryan met me, and long story short, we shook hands and I..."

"Felt the spark?" Jessi asked, cutting her short.

Sofia sighed deeply and said,

"Yeah."

Jessi let out a whoop over the line and Sofia could hear her immediately apologize to those around her.

"How's that a reason to rejoice?" She asked, her friend's reaction totally confusing her. "I'm telling you that I felt something with the world's greatest casanova and you're rejoicing? I'm... I'm lost, Jessi." She said.

"Look Soph," Jessi said, chuckling. "I just think it's a perfect match."

Sofia scoffed,

"Yeah, one that exists with millions of other women."

"Then change him," Jessi said with a careless shrug. "Make him yours."

But Sofia scoffed again,

"Oh come on Jessi, say possible things. Ryan is a joker, he's immature and he's got at least a billion other women after him. I thought I'd feel the spark with someone meant for me, not someone I have to share with half the women in the world or something." She said, running her free hand through her hair.

"You can always marry him." Jessi offered and chuckled when she heard Sofia hiss. "Or carry his baby."

"Look Jess, all these things work on people with at least an iota of responsibility in them. Something Ryan fortunately or unfortunately does not have."

"Sofia, just give it a shot ok? Do you know how many would kill for your position right now?"

Sofia groaned and got up,

"I'll think about it." She said. "Love you." She added, laughing at whatever Jessi's response was as she turned off the phone and almost staggered to her bed.

Monday morning saw her get up at half-past eight and screaming in Spanish, she scrambled about, preparing for work.

***********************

He checked his watch,

"Where are you, woman?" He sighed and made to get up when he heard her familiar voice in the kitchen, apologizing. He smiled, sitting back down. Soon she came out in uniform and to Ryan, it seemed the lights had just been turned on. She neared him and he immediately looked the other way, catching her reflection in the glass window. He smiled, satisfied with this. He propped his menu against the condiments box on the table as a shield and stayed there watching her with a smile.

Sofia knew that it was nearing her break time but Sandra hadn't shown up and each time she looked about for orders, her eyes were drawn to the figure by the window with a menu propped on his table. She wondered if he needed help choosing something but the others were making orders and she had to attend to them so she decided to check with him just before leaving.

A few minutes later, she received a go-ahead from Fred and pulled off her apron, walking to the guy in the hoody.

"Hey." She said, tapping him. He'd dozed off but now he was wide awake and he tensed up at the sound of her voice. "I'm sorry were you asleep?" She asked, leaning in and taking her voice down a few notches.

For Ryan, this was too close for comfort, no one had ever caused him to react so much just by their closeness. What was she doing to him?

"How can I?" He finally said with his trademark smile and she groaned, getting up.

"Oh, it's you? What are you doing here?" She asked, almost whispering.

Ryan looked around and scoffed,

"Oh forgive me, I didn't realize awesome wasn't allowed in here."

She flushed but then shrugged and said,

"It's ok, the rule hasn't been broken yet."

He exhaled in his habitual way, looking around and then at her.

"Ok, ok, you got me there." He said with a smile. "Tell you what, I'll buy you a drink for that."

But she shook her head,

"Does it always have to be, give and take with you?"

He leaned in closer and whispered,

"There's only one way to find out." Then he relaxed and looked about. "You're off right? Come on, let's go." He said and got up, walking out the door without turning back even once.

She stood there in her white top on black skirt and sneakers, with her hair in a ponytail watching him. How could he be so sure that she was following him? He'd probably done it countless times before and they all followed. So the rational thing was to stay put. But for some reason, she wasn't staying put, her brain was probably on break too cause her legs were moving as if of their own accord and before she realized it, she'd pushed open the door and now stood in the sunshine. There he was, poised against a red Ferrari la Ferrari. She walked up to him and he smiled.

"How did you know I was gonna come out?" She asked but he shook his head.

"To be honest, I didn't."

She scoffed,

"Oh really?" She asked, folding her arms and leaning backward.

"Yeah." He nodded then continued, "With any other girl, I'd be sure they were following but you're just different. With you, I never know what to expect."

Standing there and listening to all that was making her weak at the knees, she felt like she needed to sit ASAP or she'd fall on him. This didn't sound like flattery. He seemed really serious now. So she tapped the door and he smiled, opened up the passenger side for her, and stood by it. She smiled and got in,

"So you're chivalrous now?" She asked and he exhaled through almost clenched teeth, smiling.

"So does that mean we're ok now?" He asked, leaning in the window.

"Hmmm," She sighed, looking thoughtful."Let's just say I don't completely hate you." She smiled and he clutched at his chest, mock gasping for air while Sofia laughed. Then he went around and got in, pulling out of the lot.

They were on the highway and had gone on for a while when Ryan glanced at her and said,

"I didn't understand your reaction from yesterday."

Sofia looked up from the phone she'd been using and at him,

"What?" She asked, fully aware of what he meant.

"The whole zing and run affair." He said and glanced at her once more but she looked away,

"I don't wanna talk about that Ryan." She sighed.

"Well, that's a start." He said, eyes focused on the road.

"What do you mean?" Sofia asked and he smiled,

"You said Ryan, not Mr. Barnes." and she laughed, shaking her head.

"Oh that, well which do you prefer Ryan?" She asked, dragging his name in a way that could mean, well, many things. He drove off the road and parked, facing the sea. Then he grabbed a bottle of water and got out, going to sit on the hood. At first, Sofia stayed put but then she got out and came to him,

"Uhh, excuse me superstar but what are we doing here?" She asked, looking around.

"This is my secret, not so hidden spot where I come to relax, think, and..."

"Yeah yeah." She said, cutting him short. "I can imagine. Ryan, it's either of the two. You've never come here before or that's the cheesy line you tell every girl you bring here." She said, coming to stand in front of him. Suddenly, his arm reached out, grabbing her by the waist and pulling her into the space between his legs. She froze. Within her, she was yelling controls at her brain but it was gone now, she'd shut down. It happened slowly. He reached up and drew her to him, their lips meeting ever so lightly but igniting the sparks like dynamite. The kiss deepened and she found herself leaning against him for support. He led her on, redefining the word, "kiss" for her. Practice really did make perfect. She heard herself sigh as he angled his head and when he increased the tempo, she carried it on with him. They found themselves, forehead to forehead and gasping for breath.

"That was..." Ryan started between gasps but she shushed him with a slight trace of his jawline. He kissed her again, she responded but he toyed with her lips, keeping to the edge.

"Ryan." She whispered, feeling the heat build up from her core. But he'd moved again and this time, he chuckled against her skin, sending tingles all over her body, she shuddered and they kissed, she pushed off the hood and her hands went in his hair, then she arched and his hands slipped beneath her top. His hands on her skin felt divine and every imprint sent waves of passion all over her. Then his hands felt her bra. She froze. It felt like she'd been drowning but she'd suddenly burst back to the surface. That action brought Sofia back in control. What was she doing? She jumped back, out of his reach.

"Things seem to be getting out of hand." She smiled nervously and went back into the car. Ryan still sat there, a little while longer. Then he drank some water, shook his head, and smiled. He got back in the car but didn't start it yet.

"Why do you seem so different?" He asked.

"Different how?"

"How do you do it?"

"Do what?" She replied, smiling.

"Keep me so interested. Every time we meet it's like we're meeting for the first time."

She arched one of those long beautiful brows and said,

"Is this flattery? You do know that I don't appreciate it."

"No no no it isn't." He said, looking at her. All the women I've known bore me and I lose interest completely but you, I want to know you more." He paused, "Spend time with you even more. Heck, I want to kiss you so bad right now." He said and leaned in at once, making the first contact but they picked up where they left off, turning a single contact into a whirlwind of desire and passion.

"Ryan, let's stop now." She said between short, fast breaths, knowing that she was teetering on a cliff edge. But he wasn't listening. She was fighting himself as well as herself here and it was proving to be an uphill battle. It took a lot of willpower and she tried to pull away but then Ryan's enticements were driving her wild.

"This is just the appetizer." He whispered.

She chuckled,

"You know what?"

"Mm-hmm." He mumbled against her neck and she said,

"Go finish up your meal with someone else." Emptying the bottle of water over his crotch.

Now, this was a sports car so his reaction space was really limited but he did jerk up and away from her, leaving her to go wild in laughter. She tossed the can out her window while he used grabbed a paper towel, trying to clean up as much as possible to avoid costly assumptions about the mark over his crotch. He exhaled through almost clenched teeth and shook his head.

"I noticed you needed to cool off a bit." She offered, with barely concealed laughter and he chuckled.

Just then, he got a call and received it through the car's system. It was the director and his tone didn't seem like he was in a good mood.

"Where the hell are you Ryan? Didn't I tell you we had a deadline to chase?"

"I'm on my way."

"Get over here ASAP. It's the pool scene next."

Ryan looked at Sofia as they heard that and smiled while she blushed furiously. The director cut the call and he smiled,

"Guess I'll be taking your advice."

"Just shut up." She said and looked out the window while he laughed. He made to turn the key in the ignition and remembered the wet pants, sighing, he got out and brought a fresh pair from the trunk, and taking it all the way to the front where Sofia could see, he pulled off the wet one and put on the fresh one while she covered her eyes, yelling in Spanish. He just laughed, coming back and getting in.

"Why would you do that?" She asked him. He chuckled,

"Cause I want you to be free-er with me." And just then she remembered that this was the same reason shed given as to why he'd be over her.

"You do know we're going to the shoot together." He said, reversing and getting onto the highway once again.

"No." She scoffed and said, "But I do know that you're joking."

"Ok," He smiled, "We'll just have to see on that." Then he switched the gear and accelerated away.