Page 1 of Deceitful Dreams

Chapter One

Sophie

I grunt, feeling the ache ripple across my shoulders as I push and then drop to my knees with a pant. When I hired movers to take all my stuff across the country, I hadn’t realized the little bitches required all the boxes to be stacked in one room. At this point, I might as well have moved myself. Assholes.

Wiping the sweat gathering on my hairline, I use the cardboard to push myself to stand. One down, four more to go. Next time I’ll be more careful about how much shit I pack in each one, splurge those extra cents for the heavy duty.

A loud knock has my heart jumping in my chest and I glance at the time on my phone. If it’s the movers, they’re almost an hour early, but they can drag the boxes themselves if that's the case.

I swing the door open with a scowl, and the words die in my throat as I gawk at the man before me. He’s the most gorgeous man I’ve ever witnessed in real life, considering I feel half those Instagram models are fake. His chocolate brown hair sits in styled curls on top of his head, and his t-shirt and sweats are not hiding an inch of his tall, muscular body.

His bright blue eyes drag down my body before lifting to meet mine. Heat spreads in my cheeks and down my neck from knowing how much of a mess I must look like.

“Sophie?” he asks, and my panties could disintegrate at the deep rumble of it.

Licking my dry lips, I give a sharp nod. “Can I help you?”

He catches the movement on my mouth before clearing his throat and touching his chest. “Wyatt. Your mother told you I was coming.”

My first thought is to tell him he’s welcome to come anywhere, preferably in or on me. It takes another second to register what he said before a ringing in my ears has me blinking and taking a step back. My eyebrows knot in the middle. “M-my mother?”

Wyatt’s head tilts to the side, watching me with concern. “She said she called you last night. I flew out first thing this morning.”

Everything clicks into place, and I want to vomit. When my mother called me last night, she expressed that she and her husband felt it was too unsafe for me to drive alone. Therefore, my step-father had invited himself along for my road trip. I was apprehensive for two reasons. One, I didn’t even know she had gotten married. Two, I doubt my mother gives two shits about my safety, which means the ridiculous concern came from him. I went nearly twenty-two years without a father, and I wasn’t looking for one now. I declined her suggestion on the spot, and I thought that was that, but I guess not.

“I told her no,” I say, keeping my attention on the crease of his shirt right under his collar. I’m struggling to look him in the eye after I practically fucked him six ways to Sunday in my mind, not knowing who he was.

Wyatt sighs, shifting on his feet, clearly uncomfortable. “I know, but if you were my daughter, I wouldn’t want you traveling alone.”

“But I’m not,” I say softly, glancing up at him. “I’m not your daughter.”

His cheeks turn a slight pink, and he gives me a sheepish smile. “I know, but I’m here now. I only bought a one-way ticket. Might as well put me to work.”

Leaning against the door silently, I give him enough room to come inside. He walks in, scanning my nearly empty apartment.

“The movers said they’ll be here in an hour. Can you bring the rest of the boxes from my bedroom while I take a shower? That would be the biggest help.”

Wyatt turns to me. “Anything you need, Sophie.”

I suppress the shiver that threatens to crawl over my body. What I need is for him to not be married to my mother because I would love to take him for a ride, but that isn’t possible. So I grab my duffle bag with my bathroom essentials and a few change of clothes and head to my ensuite to look more presentable.

By the time I take care of myself under the water and get dressed, I can hear other voices joined with Wyatt’s. I keep my bag tucked to my side as I walk out in the living room, my wet hair tied up into a bun on my head.

Wyatt glances at me and waves me over. “They are just finishing up and need your signature.”

A clipboard is shoved into my face as a short man with a gnarly black mustache stares at me with a pissed off expression. I glance at Wyatt, whose jaw is clenched at the man.

I grab it, sign, and before the pen has barely lifted from the paper it’s ripped from my hands and he storms out the door. My mouth drops open at his behavior, and Wyatt’s fists are clenched at his sides.

“What happened?” I ask.

He shakes his head. “They were going to leave because you weren’t at the door to confirm. I had to threaten a bit before they started loading the truck.”

The unwarranted attitude leaves me with an uneasy feeling, and I’m a little thankful Wyatt was here to deal with it. I’m not used to having someone else handle anything for me. I give him a small smile in thanks.

“You ready?” he asks.

I glance around my empty apartment and nod, hating the gratitude I’m feeling for my step-father. On the other hand, I can barely look at him without getting over-flustered with heat. He’s taller than me, an instant weakness of mine when it comes to men. But the deadly combo of dark hair and deep blue eyes has me wanting to combust on the spot. It’s unfair how hot he looks in a pair of sweats and t-shirt, while I lounge in my shorts and tank top and emit nowhere near the level of sexual prowess as him. I forgot that comfort was my number one priority when I stuffed the suitcases for my journey.

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