She stepped back and eyed Vic almost suspiciously.

“I didn’t mean to offend any feminist sensibilities,” Vic said, her voice low. “I merely have personal experience tripping on these steps, and many others, while wearing dresses like that. The combo has been treacherous for women for centuries.”

Then the woman smiled, an easy, almost conspiratorial expression, and Sophia finally saw it. She suddenly understood exactly why Talia and Emma practically swooned for her, and it wasn’t just the titles or the trappings, or even her impeccable skin and flawless social graces. In that moment, close, kind, confident, and considerate, Vic was the living, breathing image of a magnanimous millionaire, the stuff of fantasy and legend, like unicorns.

It took everything Sophia had to remind herself no such creature actually existed.

••••

“What are you two doing down there?” Emma called, breaking Vic from the trance of Sophia’s eyes.

“Yeah, Sophia. You’re going to want to see this,” Talia said, oblivious to whatever was happening between them. Then again, Vic felt more than a little oblivious herself. She’d only meant to offer a hand, and yet Sophia looked at her like she might be a unicorn.

She glanced over her shoulder and was about to withdraw when she felt smooth skin slide against her palm as Sophia propelled herself up the stairs and right on past her. She didn’t even have time to revel in the brief contact before it was broken, but the heat of Sophia’s body in close proximity brought with it the scent of summer, or maybe impending rain. The woman carried something ethereal or even elemental that left Vic a little wind-whipped as she followed the others into the grand dining room.

Thankfully, Emma and Talia didn’t even register her presence as they spoke excitedly about the potential of the space.

“It’s too bad there’s never any real reason to get Tommy in this room,” Emma said. “He’d look so out of place it would give a stark contrast.”

“Maybe we could rearrange something, or instead of Regina sneaking him up to the tower, she could sneak him in here. That would actually solve two problems at once.”

Their conversation flowed quickly and naturally, leaving Vic entirely too free to watch Sophia move quietly around the room. She touched nothing, but her gaze was so intent she might as well have been mentally rearranging Vic’s furniture. No detail escaped her inspection.

“What about candlelight, Vic?” Emma asked.

She blinked at the sound of her name, “Pardon?”

“Could we light candles in this room?”

She gave a half shrug. “As I said, the wallpaper is from the court of Victoria and Albert . . .”