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Chapter 41

Author: VicFigueiredo
last update Last Updated: 2023-08-28 06:28:28

Sophie woke up to the unmistakable sound of her cell phone alarm, set for eight-thirty in the morning as usual, even though she had gone to bed much later than usual that night, making it much more uncomfortable. She quickly turned it off, immediately noticing the shiny object that had adorned her bedside table for a few days, and turned it on to hear a more pleasant sound while she spent the next five minutes stretching some parts of her body before getting up, following her morning ritual.

As she performed the gentle movements she was used to, she observed the music box: a tiny Eiffel Tower sculpted in white gold with tiny sparkling gems spun within a crystal dome, playing "As Time Goes By" on a violin. It had arrived a few days after Sophie returned from Paris, from the strangest trip of all, during which she had experienced some of the most beautiful moments of her life and, at the same time, some of the most uncomfortable ones.

The gift, without any card or identification, had ar
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    Impressed, Sophie watched the fireworks light up and color the sky, marking the farewell of one year and celebrating the arrival of another. The year that was ending had been a milestone in her life and would always be remembered, but the new year was welcome and also promised to bring her many joys.While she watched the festivities, with Nicholas behind her, holding onto her waist and his face close to hers, she had some quick memories of the past few months and was still amazed at how much had happened in such a short time.First, she had returned to the United States, then her reunion with Nicholas had happened, the hesitant coming together of the two, the inevitable surrender, misguided judgments, anger trying to overshadow love, the revelation of the truth about the past, and finally, the union of two people who could never be

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    Their lips sought each other and greeted several times until their tongues also had their long-awaited encounter. Nicholas pulled Sophie's body so she was completely on top of him, and while keeping one hand firmly on the nape of her neck, he caressed the part of her back that the dress didn't cover with the other. She lightly ran her nails through his scalp and neck, already wanting to intensify the contact between them.As the initially calm, slow kisses gave way to more eager and rapid ones, and their hands couldn't stay in one place anymore, wandering and exploring their bodies, their breathing became more frantic. Sophie pulled away for a moment, kneeling between Nicholas's legs. She removed her dress, leaving her in just a small pair of panties, while Nicholas, enjoying the sight of her, quickly discarded his shirt.She pushed

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