Page 75 of The Love Position

‘If you’re sure?’

‘Yes! Or do you need to get back to the ashram?’

Isaac shook his head, and Sophia relaxed. Her injuries were still painful, but she was in no hurry to leave. Even being in a hospital felt like a holiday from the daily grind of the TTC.

She nodded her head at the bags he was holding. ‘What did you get me?’

He froze, his cheeks darkening. ‘I, er…’

Even though butterflies were partying in her tummy, Sophia attempted to act cool.

‘Have you got me a pair of board shorts and a t-shirt that says “My parents went to the Caribbean and all I got was this lousy t-shirt”?’

‘I bought that outfit for myself.’

‘Oh my god, did you?’

He grinned. ‘You’ll have to wait and find out.’

‘Spoilsport. So then, what am I wearing?’

Isaac took a big breath. ‘There wasn’t a lot of choice and I had to guess your size.’

His head dipped, looking at the bags. ‘I don’t want to come across as a sleaze, but I wasn’t sure if you needed new underwear, so—’ He swallowed, ‘—I bought you some… As well as sandals rather than flip-flops so they’ll stay on your feet better.’

The butterflies in Sophia’s stomach stepped up a gear, dancing wildly to the pounding beat of her heart.

Gaze still lowered, Isaac placed every bag bar one on the end of her bed then backed away as if they contained unstable bombs.

‘I won’t be long,’ he said, before disappearing into the bathroom.

Letting her breath go with a whoosh, Sophia stared at the closed door.

‘I can’t stop thinking about you. I want you with every breath.’

Isaac’s words from the day before were a mirror reflecting her feelings for him. Many years ago, she’d been infatuated with Marcus, but it had been an immature fantasy.

Isaac had affected her down to her bones.

At the start of the year, she’d known she was attracted to him on a physical level, but she was still grieving the sudden end of her relationship and believed her attraction was merely a rebound, a distraction from thinking about her ex.

But now… Sophia knew enough about Isaac to know she liked everything about him. And ‘like’ didn’t even begin to cover the depths of her feelings.

Taking a shoe box from the first bag, she opened it.

Inside were a pair of flat, Grecian-style sandals in soft tan leather. Her parents lived in designer clothes, and Sophia could see these sandals were of the same quality. They were beautiful, and she’d never owned a pair so special.

And they were the right size.

Letting out a little squeak of excitement, she looked at the box, trying to find the price.

It wasn’t marked, nor was there a receipt.

Putting them carefully to one side, and feeling like a child opening their stocking on Christmas Day morning, she lifted tissue-wrapped packages from another bag.

Carefully peeling off circular stickers with a golden logo, she opened them up.

Oh, my god.

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