Page 91 of The Proposal Pact
I roll my eyes at my best friend’s antics, planting my hands on my waist. “Okay, sister-defiler, you can go now.”
“Ah, Birdy, we interrupted before they got to the good part. The effects wore out too soon.”
“Out!” I point at Griffin who breaks out in belly-deep laugh and my own sister can’t hide hers either. “Both of you!” With more laughs, they head to the door as Sophie thanks them and Julie waves back.
“You’re welcome, you grumpy asshole,” Griff calls out, shutting the door behind them, but before I can even take another breath, Julie opens it again, popping her head in.
“Sophie, I’m sorry tonight went like that.”
“It’s okay.” Sophie offers her a small smile.
“It’s not and I think you’ll find that our mom is quite remorseful over that, but I’ll let her fix it.”
“Oh, she doesn’t have to fix anything. I promise it’s all right.”
“Yeah, I’m afraid that’s not an option. So, brace yourself.” She gives her a sheepish smile before shutting the door again.
Sophie turns to me, worry creasing her face. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
I shrug. “I guess we’ll see.”
My eyes lock on hers, not thinking about what my sister said, or really, anything. Because I can’t. Not when she’s in the same room as me, apparently.
I’ve lived without it for so long and never craved to feel another person’s lips on mine, to run my hand over another woman’s body. I was content. I was perfectly fine.
Until Sophie came into my life, crushing it like one small colorful wrecking ball.
The urge to walk over to her and resume what we started, taste her lips and feel her skin is so strong I have to use my entire will power well to resist it. Especially when I see it mirrored in her brown eyes.
Instead, I bend down, pick up the box with my clothes, and stroll past her into the bedroom, and dumping it by my side of the bed before I head for the door.
“Um, Clover? Where are you going?”
“Work. Don’t wait up,” I answer without looking at her, feeling the wild, frantic beat of my heart pounding through every inch of my body.
There’s no work, but I need to get out of here before I do something I can’t take back. Something that will only hurt her in the long run.
I can’t see, but I sure as hell feel Sophie’s confused and hurt expression as I slam the door behind myself.
If there’s one thing I realized after tonight’s dinner is that Sophie is so much more than just a fake wife or means to an end.
Maybe she never was and that’s a problem I didn’t foresee coming. And one I need to stay away from. Because I can never give her what she deserves.
By the time I get back to the apartment, Sophie is long asleep, her small body huddled under that thick duvet. I stand there watching her chest move slowly, her short hair nearly all escaped from the tiny ponytail she always tries to submit it into and now sticks all over her face.
I should sleep on the couch. I should, but damn it, that thing is uncomfortable. At least, that’s what I tell myself as I strip my clothes off and get under the blanket, determined to sleep as far away from her as I can tonight.
Quietly, I try to settle into my spot without disturbing her but somehow my leg still brushes against her feet.
Her freezing cold feet.
Jesus…this girl. I lean down, tuck her icicles under my leg and the last thing I hear as sleep claims me is her relieved, content sigh.
26
Marital Duties
Day 2
