Page 17 of Saving Sophia

I sighed and rubbed my temples. I needed to concentrate on Woodland Ridge. For my family. It was our best shot at staying together after losing Uncle Joe. I needed to keep my thoughts on that. No matter how much a pair of espresso brown eyes kept trying to sneak in.

I took a shower, changed into a pair of black flannel pants and a white T-shirt, and settled in to skim emails. I considered calling the kitchen for something to eat. I hadn’t gotten more than a few bites of the Thai food at Hayden’s.

She might be hungry too. I remembered her stomach growling and wondered if she ate anything other than the lollipop before the attack. What had she said she liked to eat?

I walked halfway to my door to go check on her, then paused, my hand resting on the back of my neck. I’d barely reached for the door handle when a tentative knock on the other side brought a half smile to my lips.

I opened the door.

“I’m sorry,” she said. She was in her Eeyore pajamas again, her glossy brown hair thrown up on top of her head in a messy bun. She looked so different from the self-conscious club waitress I’d met at the police station. I liked this version better.

She winced and looked down the hall toward her room like she was measuring the distance for retreat. “I mean …” She stood before me, her sock-clad feet overlapping each other as if they weren’t sure what to do with themselves. “Oh. You’re in your pajamas. It’s late. I … never mind.” She turned to go back to her room.

“Wait.” I reached out and gently caught her elbow to stop her. “Would you like to come in?”

After a moment’s hesitation, she nodded but didn’t move. I stepped aside and guided her in, barely tugging at her arm for encouragement. The morning was hours away, and every instinct in my head demanded I spend at least a few of them with her.

“Wow.” She looked around the main room. “Is this the penthouse? I thought my room was gorgeous, but … holy crickets.”

I laughed out loud at that. She was truly adorable. She covered her mouth and looked at me with suspicion, so I forced my grin away. “Would you like something to drink?” I asked, heading toward the kitchen.

“Water?” She shuffled over to the sunken entertainment area and sat down on the edge of one of the white sofas.

“Can’t sleep?” I handed her a water bottle and sat down across from her.

“It’s stupid but … I was … I didn’t want to be alone. Or in the dark.”

“That’s not stupid. Someone threatened your life only a few hours ago. If you fell asleep without a care in the world, I might have to have a talk with Amber Jade about how seriously she takes your safety.”

She let out her little hiccuppy laugh, then bit it back. “I don’t want to bother you … if you were going to bed.”

“No bother. I want to know you’re safe, remember?” I picked up a remote and adjusted the lighting until there wasn’t a shadow anywhere. “Are you hungry? I was thinking of ordering something.”

“Maybe something small?” It was a question, seeking permission, and it hit me hard. She was a girl someone should be doting on, protecting, cherishing.

“Perfect. I’ll order something small.” I stood up to make the call. She flinched and looked over her shoulder like she expected a monster behind her.

“Why don’t you stay here tonight? There’s a separate bedroom over there.” I pointed at a closed door across from the main bedroom. “Or you can stay right there on the couch with all the lights on. Whatever you prefer.”

She clenched her small hands into fists, indecision putting a little furrow between her brows. “But you paid for the other room. I don’t want to be wasteful.”

“It won’t be a problem,” I assured her.

The relief on her face broke my heart a little. “Okay. If you’re sure.”

She left to grab her things from the other room, and I picked up the phone for room service, surprised at just how sure I felt.

* * *

SOPHIA

When I came back, Ethan was in his bedroom, speaking to someone on the phone in a low voice. His sectional looked bigger than the entire living room of our apartment. I set my bag down and sat on the edge of the huge white expanse wondering what the heck I was doing.

When the lock had turned in my hotel room, a wave of panic washed over me. Monsters lurked in dark corners. I saw Mr. Roscoe glaring at me, smoking gun still in his hand, and I stifled a scream, but it was just my reflection in a wall mirror.

Going to Ethan’s door was stupid. I’d already asked too much. But my feet made the decision before my mind could protest. Then he opened the door with a smile, his pajama pants hanging on his hips like he was carved from stone, his sandy hair slightly tousled. He was so perfect I almost ran back to my room without speaking at all.

I could hear Callie lecturing me in my mind.

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