Sophie and Frankie

How do two people meet and fall in love if they are from two worlds too far apart? How do you explain Frankie and Sophie. He is famous and she is private.

Sophie, you see, is one of those rare creatures in this century who does not want to enjoy her 15 minutes of Warholian fame. She would rather enjoy a good book.

Somehow, Sophie finds herself in a large house for a weekend of motorcycle riding with a friend and his friends. Sophie is also one of those impossibly independent women who prefer the company of men to her own sex, and all the adventures and activities of the opposite sex. It causes all sort of trouble and no romance.

In this party of motorcycle riders was a person who would prove to be an irritant on first sight: Frankie Cavalli. He was a handsome rock star with all the spoiled arrogance that goes with his profession. Sophie loathed him on sight for the very reason of his chosen profession. She had her fill of rock musicians years ago. She thought them useless and disposable.

Of course this was pure catnip to Frankie. He was quite unused to women who paid no attention to him. The thought of a woman who avoided him from the start had him stumped. He was informed she was straight, so what was her problem? He was intrigued. He was aroused.

The ride had been a long one. Sophie's motorcycle was not the Harley Davidson that the others rode. She again asserted her independence by showing up on her dual sport. She endured the derision of the other riders with a shrug. She didn't like Harleys, and that was that. Her bike kept up. Sophie returned to the house with the other riders no more tired than they were.

After dinner everyone gathered in the house's great room. Sophie had her shower and sat on a stool in front of the fire drying her hair. Frankie got up and came over. He seated himself on a chair close behind her.

"Why do you breathe down my neck like that?" Sophie said without turning.

"I'm not breathing down your neck." Frankie shifted himself closer. "If I were going to breath down your neck I would do it like this." Sophie felt his breath close and could feel his lips very close, nearly touching her flesh.

Sophie flipped her long hair back in his face and turned on him. Her gaze dared him to say something about it. Frankie was not one to back down from a dare. His entire life was spent taking on dares. He reached out and took the end of her hair and brushed the tips against his cheek lazily in a challenge to her.

His eyes smoldered with an arrogant mischievousness. His eyes were legendary for their intense green color. Sophie felt a heat in her core she hadn't had in years. That she should feel it for this tattooed clown incensed her.

"Is that entertaining?" Sophie raised an eyebrow.

"It's a start." Frankie kissed the lock.

Sophie snatched at her hair in an attempt to reclaim this part of her body he was getting intimate with. Frankie held the lock fast.

"Your hair is a pretty color. It's like the darkest red I've ever seen."

"It's brown." She sneered.

"No, it's a super dark red. Look, it's like a really dark fire." He studied the short length in his hand.

Sophie tried to recapture her hair. "So you're a poet too?" Suddenly she wanted to get a pair of scissors. That would be an act of desperation. Sophie loved her hair. It was waist length and she had spent years cultivating it.

Frankie smoothed the lock and gently placed it on her shoulder. "Yes, as a matter of fact I am. You don't write rock and roll without poetry."

Sophie laughed, "You call that poetry? You take keeping it simple to a new level. What, three words and a partial sentence makes you a poet?"

"I don't see you with a platinum album." Frankie looked away angry.

"I don't consider a platinum album as an award for mastering the English language." Sophie smiled. She had gotten him.

Frankie looked at her, considering his next move. She was maddening. She wasn't drop dead gorgeous like his ex-wife, but something else entirely. Her self-possessed manner and steady eyes had him. His ex had been a bad girl, a rock n roll tough chick in a super model's body, but looking at Sophie he knew now that had all been an act. His ex looked tough, Sophie was tough. She was a tough chick in a rather delicate body.

"So, I guess you're an expert?"

Sophie tossed back her hair, shaking it out with her fingers, "English major."

Frankie chewed his lower lip. Know it all, he thought. His next thought was how great her hair looked when it was just a bit messy.

“I want to go out with you.”

Sophie burst out laughing. Frankie frowned.

“What’s so funny?”

Sophie held up a hand, “You and I? Are you crazy? We have absolutely nothing in common.”

Frankie was taken aback. Women did not turn him down. They fought for the privilege of going out with him. They fought just to be in his presence. Here was a little nobody telling him no? Who did she think she was?

He tried again, “What do you mean? We both ride bikes.”

She was still incredulous, “Yeah, you ride the latest bad boy Harley and I ride a dual sport.” Sophie narrowed her eyes, “I can literally leave you sitting in the dust. Other than that, any date between you and I would end in disaster.”

Frankie was getting irritated, “And what kind of disaster would that be?”

Sophie laughed, “Somewhere around the two hour mark, if we are lucky, one of us would be so bored with the other one we would find some silly excuse to end it. Or we would politely sit in dead silence wondering how much longer it was going to drag out. I bet for the first one since you are not so polite. Besides, I hate dates.”

Frankie raised an eyebrow and considered her. She was driving him crazy already. Why go out with a woman who doesn’t want you and is determined to make you crazy?

It hit him. Frankie was in love. All the color drained from his face when he realized it.

Sophie saw the stricken look. “Are you ok?”

“Yeah. Fine. Just fine.” Frankie said quietly. “Listen, we are going to try it.”

“Try what?”

“Try a date.” Frankie started rushing his words. “We will go out on a date and if it doesn’t work we can just shake hands and move on like nothing ever happened. Nobody gets hurt.”

Sophie watched as a flustered Frankie stopped and looked at her with the simple hopefulness of a teenage boy. How dare he be endearing.

Sophie looked down at her hands a moment. When she looked up, he was still looking at her expectantly.

“Ok, but not a real date.”

“What do you mean not a real date?” Frankie looked a bit worried.

“I’m a jeans and t-shirt girl.” She said, “I don’t do heels and dinner very well.”

Frankie smiled. Sophie noticed his smile was devastatingly brilliant when he was genuinely pleased. She knew she wanted to see it more often than his usual cocksure sneer.

“We can take the bikes somewhere,” he suggested. “We can drive up the coast.” Frankie was warming to the idea. Sophie found herself warming to it as well. She wasn’t pleased with herself for that. He was getting his way, and that wasn’t a pleasant thought at all.

“You mean you don’t mind being seen riding with an uncool, non-Harley?” Sophie had to save face somewhere.

Frankie was growing irritable, “I wish you would stop thinking I’m so narrow minded. I do other stuff.”

“Like what.”

“Ok, I happen to like country music and going fishing with my uncle,” he spat. “Happy?”

Sophie relented. “Alright, it makes you more human and less circus freak.”

“Circus freak?” Frankie laughed. “You’re a piece of work, you know.”

Sophie gave him a grin, “Yep. Get told that all the time.” Frankie liked the humor in that grin.

Sophie looked up at the clock and saw it had past midnight. Her ride back in the morning was going to be long. She glanced around the room. Everyone else had melted off to their respective beds. She and Frankie had been alone for a long time.

Frankie looked around and noticed the solitude as well. He looked back at Sophie. Carefully, measuring his words he took a chance.

“I want a kiss.”

Sophie looked up warily.

“Just a little kiss.”

Against her common sense, Sophie faintly nodded.

A light touch of lips.

Sophie felt the world contract to that one small moment.

Frankie felt his world completely change.

Both turned away and smiled secretly.


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