“So you and Sophie are old friends?” Larry asks.
“Yes actually.” David smiles charmingly. “I was hoping you would let her leave early today,” he says. “I’m planning to take her to dinner.”
My jaw drops, but before I can say anything, Jan beams. “Of course!” He says, “Sophie never goes anywhere.” He continues, turning to Larry, while I silently plot ways to murder him. “I’m sure we can manage for an evening?”
Larry nods enthusiastically. “That’s if Sophie doesn’t mind.”
They all turn to look at me. I don’t want to go anywhere with David. I don’t.
Under the force of their combined stares, I cave in.
“I don’t mind.” I lie.
“Great!” David smiles at my bosses, who finally decide it’s time for them to leave us alone together, and go back into their office.
David’s eyes find mine again, and I take a deep breath. He’s so close, every inch of my skin is tingling in anticipation. I’m assaulted by the memories of what it felt like to touch him, to feel his lips on mine, to feel his breath feathering across my skin.
“Aren’t you going to say anything Sophie?” He asks, looking slightly amused. His eyes are gleaming dangerously, sensual and provocative. “Not even hello?”
I swallow, feeling my pulse start to flutter wildly. “What are you doing here?” I ask with bravado I don’t feel.
He tilts his head slightly as he looks at me. “I believe we were having a conversation earlier,” He says with a careless shrug, “One that we didn’t finish.”
I shake my head. “I shouldn’t have called you.” I say tensely. “Maybe you should forget that I did.”
He turns away from me to look around the small store. I’m sure he’s not really interested in anything Empathy Zone is selling. I wonder what he’s thinking, what he’s going to say.
He turns back to me. “What if I can’t?” he asks suddenly, leaning forward on my desk. “I don’t want to forget that you called. I want you to tell me everything that’s on your mind.”
His nearness is doing things to me. “I’ve told you everything I have to say.” I retort, folding my arms across my chest in a gesture that’s supposed to be defensive, but which I know would be useless against him. “I don’t want to go anywhere with you either.”
He bends forward, coming closer until our faces are only inches apart. “Well I haven’t told you everything I have to say.” He whispers. His eyes are suddenly dark and fierce, searing into me. He’s not even touching me, yet I can feel him everywhere.
“How about ‘get real sweetheart, this has always been about sex,’” I give him a challenging glare, “or ‘you’re a liar as well as a fool.’” I snort dismissively, “I’d say you’ve said enough.”
He flinches, the expression almost imperceptible and very fleeting. Straightening slowly, he moves away from me. “We need to talk Sophie,” He says slowly, “I know you don’t want to see me, but I’m sure you can bear just one evening.”
If only he knew, I think as I shut down my computer and put on my jacket over my t-shirt, before following him outside. On the curb, Steve is standing by the black jaguar waiting for us. The familiarity of the whole scenario makes my heart ache.
Steve pulls the car door open for me. I smile at him, resisting the urge to tear up. “How are you Steve?”
His smile is warm as he replies. “Fine. Mrs. Preston.”
How long had it been since someone called me that? So long that I’d almost forgotten how it sounded. I swallow my reaction. “It’s nice to see you again.” I say before I step into the car.
Once inside, I deliberately don’t look at David. The car starts to move, and I struggle to conquer the tension gripping me as we sit side by side. He’s so close, too close. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see his hands spread out on his thighs, palms facing downwards, his long, graceful fingers tapping a silent rhythm.
His face is turned away from me, looking out of the windows. I allow myself the luxury of looking at him, letting my eyes drift from his smooth brow to the shadowed hollows of his cheeks, and to the lips I’m dying to kiss again. I’ve missed looking at him. I’ve missed touching him. I’ve missed so many things. I’m so aware of him I can’t focus on anything else.
My whole consciousness is fixed on the fact that he’s right there beside me. That if I reach out, I can touch him, the way my fingers are aching to.
I sigh. It feels so familiar to be here with him. If I close my eyes I can easily imagine that things are back the way they were and that we’re on our way to the apartment where he’ll carry me to the bedroom, slowly undress me and make sweet love to me until my body is totally sated.
My body, but not my heart.
I force myself to stop looking at him. It’s no use getting caught up in my feelings when they mean nothing to him. Steve soon pulls up in front of a glass-fronted restaurant with a wide awning over the sidewalk.
Stepping out of the car, I wait as David comes around the back to join me, and I catch myself admiring his beautiful body, shown to perfection in his tailored suit. As I watch, I realize that he’s stretching out an arm and that he’s going to put it around me, as if we’re a regular couple, as if we haven’t been apart for months. I stiffen, my stomach knotting tightly. There’s no knowing how my body will react to his touch, and I’m not eager to make a fool of myself again, where he’s concerned.