The Lawyer

29- Surprise

Matt POV

The rain lashes down around us and I try to think of it as a cold shower. I don't want to move away from Sophie, I need to be close to shelter her, I can't risk her catching a cold. But I can see everything through that wet dress and not touching her is killing me.

I'm trying to think of anything else but Sophie right now to control myself, which is why I don't notice her movements until her lips are already on mine. Sweet mercy this woman. The taste of her sends my brainwaves to Nirvana. My body is frozen in the moment.

It's not until I feel Sophie pull away that I snap out of it wrapping my arms around her to kiss her back. One arm supporting her waist the other on her neck, my fingers tangling in her ponytail. I Relish in the feel of her arms when they wrap around my neck holding me close. Her tongue massaging against my own. 

I can't explain what it is that I'm feeling, I just know that I don't ever want this feeling to end. Almost every fiber of my being is telling me to keep kissing this woman, not to pull away and risk her regretting it, but that little voice in my head is warning me that we can't stay here.

Man I hate knowing that voice is right.

The rain is falling harder and as the first roll of thunder rumbles across the sky, I reluctantly break the kiss. Resting my head against hers, in a silent gesture that I'm not going anywhere. We both take a moment to catch our breath, like we have just been running.

"We need to get you out of this rain Vita Mia, you stay here I'll run and get the car ok?" Sophie nods and I wipe some rain from her cheek.

"Did you just call me Mia?" She frowns.

"No! I called you my Vita Mia" I quickly correct her.

"What's a Vita Mia?" She asks, catching my hand before I go. I smile at the gesture, happy she's not pulling away from me this time.

"You're my Vita Mia." I tell her cryptically, knowing she can't Google it in the rain. Giving her a quick kiss on her knuckles before I start my run back to the car.

In no time at all I'm pulling up beside Sophie and she climbs in, quietly cursing the weather.
"I put your seat warmer on, but we really need to get you home and out of them wet clothes" I tell her signalling to pull back into traffic.

"And into my PJ's" she finishes.

"We'll see about that" I glance over happy to see the little blush on her cheeks. Even happier at the fact that she didn't say no to me.

There's a little traffic as we travel back, probably due to the rain. I start to worry about how long Sophie has been in wet clothes, but she's not complaining. Maybe a hot bath and pajamas is the best idea for tonight. I don't plan on letting Sophie go anywhere, I have my whole life to enjoy being with her.

I tap my fingers on the centre console impatient at the traffic and the soft touch of Sophie's hand over mine washes a wave of calm over me. Without taking my eyes off the road I lift her hand to my lips kissing it softly, before lacing my fingers with hers.

"There's someone at our door" Sophie states, breaking me from my thoughts.

"Our door?" I smile, my eyes flicking down the road to the house. A figure in a dark coat is standing at the entrance.

"Yes, you know the door that leads into our house? What did you think I meant, someone was running alongside the car?" She scoffs, apparently oblivious to the meaning behind calling the house ours.

I pull the car into the drive, squinting in the heavy rain at the figure by the door, an umbrella blocking my view.
"Were you expecting someone?" I ask Sophie, cautious.

"No, I don't think so." She says frowning.

"Wait here I'll unlock the door and grab your umbrella." I offer,

"Matt, it's like ten feet, if you unlock the door I can just run in ok? I'm already wet" I want to argue but with Sophie I know there's no point. Bracing myself against the cold I run around the car towards the door.

"Can I help you?" I call out to the stranger.

"You can let me in out of the rain, Matteo." Mama says tipping the umbrella so I can finally see her face.

"Ma?!" I quickly step forward, opening the door and gesturing to her to go inside. "Let me borrow this?" I ask, taking the umbrella and running back to Sophie.

"I said I was ok" Sophie scolds me, but she still accepts my hand to climb out of the car.

"I know, but I thought I should warn you my Mama is here. Before you get mad I didn't invite her! I don't even know how she has your address" I explain.

"Oh" Sophie says simply. I push the car door closed and pull Sophie's body close using my own body to block the rain that escapes the umbrella.

We quickly shuffle into the entrance hall where my Ma is removing her soaked scarf and jacket.

"Let me take those for you." Sophie offers, reaching out a hand awkwardly. I'm suddenly very aware that Sophie has only met Ma once, and that was when I got cock blocked in my office.

"Matteo can take them. You need to go and change before you catch your death. Matteo, why are you letting her go out in the rain with no coat?!" She lectures me thrusting the wet clothes into my arms.

My eyes flick to Sophie, I can't imagine she will be happy at the insinuations that I have any kind of control over her. I'm hoping she sees the apology in my eyes.

"I was at the hospital, Matteo just picked me up. He has been taking very good care of me." She tells Ma simply before turning to walk up stairs.

I listen for the bathroom door closing then lead Ma into the kitchen to start fixing drinks.
"Ma, you can't just show up at Sophie's house like this! I'm still trying to build bridges here!" I sigh exasperated.

"How else will I get news on my little nipote? You never call!" She argues, "I will start dinner,'' she says opening the refrigerator, like she owns the place, to check ingredients.

I want to argue that she's a guest, but It's not like I can take over and I don't really want Sophie to have to cook either, as bad as I feel admitting it. Sophie is my priority now.

A/N
Nipote= grandchild