Page 84 of The Proposal Pact
Sophie gasps, her wide chocolate eyes shooting up to mine. “Clover? What is this?”
“Lingerie.”
“I can see that. There’sa lotof lingerie here. A lot of fancy, expensive lingerie from Grace’s boutique. But why is it here?”
“It’s for you.”
“For me?” she asks dumbfounded. “Who bought it?”
“I did.”
Sophie freezes for a second, just blinking wildly at me.
“Clover,” she squeaks, her voice going up to the highest pitch it could before she lowers it to a whisper-shout, “That’s like worth hundreds of dollars—probably even more! Oh my God, are you insane?” she asks, slapping a hand over her mouth but not before I catch the smile on it. And I definitely don’t miss the glimmer of excitement in her eyes.
I shrug. Honestly, I don’t even know what I paid for it and don’t care. I’d pay ten times that to see her happy like this. To see that shocked smile, that sparkle in her eyes.
Sophie deserves to have it all.
“It was nothing.” I tame down my own roller coaster of emotions.
“It is not nothing!” she protests, ripping through the bag as she looks over each piece that’s in there.
“Well, you were sad this morning that you wouldn’t get any because you didn’t get to have that whole party thing. So…” I trail off and shrug again.
“So you went and bought out the whole store for me?” Sophie asks in awe. “Clover…” This time, it’s her turn to trail off as her eyes start to shimmer with a whole new emotion.
Oh no, dear Lord, not the tears. I have no idea what to do with tears.
“Please tell me you’re not about to cry right now.”
She sniffles. “No.” Her answer comes out wobbly. “I wouldn’t dare.”
“You better not.” I narrow my eyes at her while internally freaking out, because fuck, what am I supposed to do if she cries.
Sophie let's out a teary giggle. “Stop trying to incinerate me with your look. Even if I do cry, you’ll have to suck it up and deal with it.”
“I’d rather not.”
“Well, then stop doing nice things for me.”
Jesus, she thinks this was something nice enough to cry over? Who did she date before?
“This was nothing. You deserve so much more.”
“Oh, damn it.” She stomps her little foot and starts fanning her face. “You only have yourself to blame now.”
“Why?”
“Because now I’m definitely crying.”
“Fuck,” I hiss out, and before I know what I’m doing my arms are wrapping around her small body, pulling it into mine. Her minty scent penetrating my lungs. “Should I take it back, would that make you stop crying?”
“Ouch.” Sophie swats my arm, and I pull away to find her adorable angry face.
“Don’t even think about it. It’s mine now.” She pulls away from my hold, hoarding the bag protectively, and stomps away into the room with it.
Jesus, I run my hand over the back of my neck, chuckling silently. Where did this girl come from?
