Sophia’s Point of View
I sat straightened from my slumped position on the couch as I looked at Mr Prescott.
I wasn’t sure what I expected to see on his face. Want, desire or maybe more?
But whatever expectations I might have had were dashed by the look I saw on his face. Mr Prescott seemed… remorseful. Like he regretted what had happened.
My chest hurt, and the emotional pain I felt was almost physical at that moment. My nails bit into my palms but I made sure to keep my feelings off my face as much as I could.
“I also have something to tell you,” I said airily, my voice a clear contrast to my emotions. “What happened between us earlier will never happen again, Mr Prescott.”
Yes, I would hurt him before he had a chance to hurt me. Maybe that would lessen the brunt of the emotions I felt.
To my infinite annoyance, Mr Prescott actually seemed relieved by my words.
“I agree,” He nodded. “What happened was a mistake we need to put behind us if we will continue working together.”
That was what we were, wasn’t it? Business partners that had been making out like high schoolers mere hours ago.
Don’t think about it, Sophia. Don’t think about it.
I flipped my book shut and faced Mr Prescott squarely.
“If we are to continue working together, you need to trust me, Mr Prescott, you can’t keep accusing me baselessly like you did earlier.” I said.
I had to focus on something other than my pain. This was the best possible outcome because the truth was my developing feelings for Mr Prescott were growing too fast, too soon.
I had only known him for a few months and even now, sometimes it felt like I didn’t really know him.
Encouraging anything other than a business arrangement between us would be extremely unwise.
“I apologize, Miss Evergreen. I was wrong to do that, it won’t happen again.” Mr Prescott said, drawing me out of my head.
I forced on an amiable smile in response. I was the one that ended things for a very good reason so why did my heart hurt so damn much?
I still didn’t have an answer to my question when it was time to go to bed.
Mr Prescott didn’t avoid me by going to stay in the study as he had the night before. No, he got an inflatable bed instead.
I looked at him and then at the currently inflating bed. He was too tall for it and most of all he was a billionaire who I was certain had never slept on anything so different.
“You don’t have to sleep on that.” I said.
Mr Prescott didn’t even seem to consider my words.
“From now on, I think it’s best we keep our own space until Nana leaves.”
He didn’t have to mention the reason why we needed to do so.
Staying in this room where that kiss had happened, I barely needed a prompt to recall exactly how it had felt for Mr Prescott’s tongue to move against mine, to remember how his hand fisting my hair had felt, to remember the trail of his fingers up my thighs.
He was right, sharing a bed right now was so not advisable.
So I didn’t voice a word of complaint as I climbed into Mr Prescott’s bed. I don’t think either of us slept much that night. Me because of my continuous contemplation of everything and I could hear Mr Prescott toss around in his bed all night.
When I finally woke up from the fitful sleep I managed to snag in the wee hours of the morning, Mr Prescott had left for work already.
I slugged through my school work feeling like I had caught the flu or something until Tina called.
“Your engagement party?” I echoed almost unable to believe my ears.
“Yes!” Tina exclaimed with a giggle. “Oh my gosh, Sophia, I still can’t believe he actually proposed,”
Tina sighed and although I couldn’t see her, I could envision her swooning at the remembrance of the moment she got engaged to Drey.
“The proposal was so romantic and private. It felt like my heart was trying to escape from my chest.”
I smiled feeling happy for the first time that day.
“Congratulations, Tina, I’m so happy for you.”
Tina had a big heart and I was glad that she was winning, she deserved it all and more. I hoped she had a happier marriage than either of my two marriages.
“You have to come to the party!” Tina said. “I know it’s on short notice but we haven’t hung out in forever.”
Apparently, the party was just a small get-together among friends to celebrate Tina’s engagement.
She was right, we’d barely hung out in a while. With all my college work, impromptu business meetings and galas, I barely had time for myself much less the time for hangouts.
I had let my friendship with Tina suffer before during my time married to Jerry, I’d promised myself that it wouldn’t happen again so even if the last thing I felt like doing now was party, I wouldn’t let Tina down.
“There’s no problem just send me the location and I’ll be there.”
The biggest issue or so I thought was getting Nana to let me leave without a chauffeur and a full escort.
“You must take the driver at least.” Nana said looking so worried that one would think I wanted to go skydiving instead of to a friend’s party.
“There’s no need for a driver, Grandmother, I’ll take a cab. Besides, the last thing I want is to be recognized and swarmed by the press when I’m supposed to be celebrating my friend.” I clarified.
The bar was around my former neighbourhood and Tina’s house. It was a nice, quiet neighbourhood, as much as anywhere in L. A. could be quiet but I knew it would take little for the press to swarm.
“Fine,” Nana sighed finally relenting. “Please take care of yourself.”
I hugged her with a smile.
“Don’t worry, it’s just a small gathering. I’ll be back before you know it.”
I knew Nana was worried because of my pregnancy. Ever since she found out about it, she had pretty much been hovering over me whenever Mr Prescott wasn’t around like a worried mother hen.
It made me feel guilty because it was all a lie but at the same time, it felt nice to have a motherly figure watching over me.
I got ready quickly and took a cab to the bar. Or at least I would have if the cab hadn’t broken down around the intersection leading to my former neighbourhood.
I tried to get another cab but even I knew it was futile, around this time of the evening, getting a cab around this area was futile.
Resigning myself to walking the rest of the way, I began to stroll.
I hadn’t gone far when I had that distinct feeling of someone following me. I bent as though I wanted to tie up my sneakers to catch a glance at the person behind me.
There was a man in black and a face cap following me.
I straightened as though I hadn’t noticed anything and began to walk faster, my hand unlocking my phone as I clicked on my emergency speed dial.
I clicked on the call button but the very best moment another man in black appeared in front of me slapping my phone out of my hand with a scary smile on his face.
“Hello, Mrs Prescott. We have been waiting a while for you.”
I ran.