Sophia’s Point of View
Mr Prescott stiffened, my words seeming to linger in the air long after I had said them and I wanted nothing more than to take them back.
What had I been thinking of stating my feelings so boldly?
Now Mr Prescott would certainly say something along the lines of how I was breaking our contract and-
“And what is it you wish for, Miss Evergreen?” Mr Prescott asked, his eyes locking on to mine.
A flush rose on my cheeks and my words seemed to get stuck in my throat.
“Never mind,” I said, quickly moving past him in his distraction. “It can wait until after the dinner.”
I was chickening out and I knew it but it was far more important for me to escape from this enclosed space with Mr Prescott.
I reached the closed door pulling on the door handle. Only the door remained shut. I tugged on it again and again but the door refused to budge.
Out of nowhere, Mr Prescott’s hand was on mine trying to aid me in opening the door.
I removed my hand from the doorknob hastily as though I had been stung and for the force of the spark I felt at his casual touch, I might as well have been.
Everything might still have gone unmemorably well if the damn door had opened then but it didn’t.
It was stuck and I was stuck alone in the restroom with Mr Prescott.
Mr Prescott didn’t seem as disturbed as I was by this prospect as he reached out for his phone dialing a number.
“The restroom’s door is stuck,” He said evenly before nodding in response to whatever he was told over the phone. “Alright.”
He ended the call then he turned to face me, his expression dangerously frank.
“Now, Miss Evergreen, I’ll need you to explain what you meant by your last statement.”
If only the ground could open up and swallow me in that moment. Unfortunately, the ground remained blissfully firm.
“It doesn’t matter.” I said looking away from Mr Prescott to the suddenly interesting walls of the stalls.
This was the perfect opportunity to tell him that there was a very high possibility that he was the father of my unborn children. But possibility was the keyword.
The private investigator still hadn’t gotten back to me after all, it had been less than a week since I had hired him.
I couldn’t tell Mr Prescott anything.
Mr Prescott seemed perplexed at my words. He took a step towards me, I took a step back flinching almost reflexively.
Mr Prescott’s features hardened and he closed the distance between us, his thumb and index finger lifting my chin making sure that my eyes were on him.
Staring into those steel gray eyes, the space between us rapidly diminishing, my knees buckled.
“Let go.” I intended to say firmly but it left my lips as a whisper.
Mr Prescott ignored me moving even closer, the space between us vanishing completely.
“Mr Prescott.” I said and this time even I could hear the panic in my voice.
Mr Prescott’s eyes left mine drifting down slowly like he was cataloging my features, moving from my flushed cheeks to my slightly parted lips.
When his eyes met mine again, for the first time, I could clearly read the emotion in his eyes. Desire.
I had barely begun to process this when he spoke stating the words that would shatter and rebuild my world.
“I find you inordinately attractive, Miss Evergreen.”
My mouth suddenly felt dry, my eyes wide with shock. “What?”
The door slammed open and Derek with two other men that seemed to be service workers entered the restroom.
“Reid, are you alright?” Derek asked, his voice full of concern.
Mr Prescott’s gaze lingered on mine for a fraction of a second as though to reassure me that this conversation was far from over before he moved away turning to face Derek with a diplomatic smile.
“We are fine.”
Were we though?
“Maintenance came in yesterday. Must have broken something,” Derek said oblivious to the tension mounting between Mr Prescott and me. “I apologize for the inconvenience.”
“It’s nothing,” Mr Prescott said reassuring him before he glanced back at me, hand outstretched. “Sophia, come let’s return to the dinner.”
I stared at Mr Prescott’s hand, at Mr Prescott and I found myself saying the last thing I would have expected myself to.
“I’m tired. I think I’ll go to bed early tonight.”
There was no change in expression on Mr Prescott’s face but I could have sworn that the temperature in the room went up a few degrees.
“I’ll come with you.” Mr Prescott said evenly.
“Don’t bother. I’ll be fine,” I said quickly before Mr Prescott could object and we would continue that intense stare down in even more clustered quarters. “I’ll feel bad if your meeting was put on hold for me. You can come up once it’s done.”
Mr Prescott seemed like he was about to object but I was faster. I moved to kiss his cheek, bidding him farewell for the sake of Derek who seemed to be catching on to the fact that something was off here.
Mr Prescott moved, shifting his head at the last moment so that the kiss meant for his cheek landed squarely on his lips.
I might have stumbled and fallen if not for the fact that we weren’t alone.
“I’ll see you soon, Sophia.” Mr Prescott said and it sounded like a promise he fully intended to keep.
Suffice to say once I got back to our room, I couldn’t sleep. I bit my nails, rehashing and replaying Mr Prescott’s words in my head. Had he really said he was attracted to me or had I misheard that?
Had he really looked at me like he wanted to kiss me or was it in my head? Had the tilt of his head making me kiss his lips instead of his cheek been intentional or just a coincidence?
I didn’t know and I wasn’t sure I wanted to. The thought that Mr Prescott wanted me consumed my thoughts and even remembering the fact that he had brought Daphne here despite the fact that he claimed they were nothing couldn’t get to me.
When Mr Prescott came back inside our room, I pretended to be fast asleep because that was easier than facing him and potentially getting rejected. I stayed still as he pulled the covers over me tucking me in even as my heart raced at this delicate gesture.
When I woke up the next morning, he was gone but there was a note at my bedside.
“Tonight 8pm. The Swan. Wear the black dress.”