“Sophia,” I said in a light tone. She turned, looking at me inquisitively. Her brows raised, and a light smile appeared on her slightly parted lips. “There is a family dinner this evening. I would like it if you went with me.”
“Okay,” she replied. “What shall I wear?”
I had not considered that. She had been living in shorts, tops, and tracksuits that I had purchased before taking her. But there was nothing for such an occasion. “Let me make a couple of calls,” I said, leaving the room and heading to my office.
I wanted her to feel special, to look good, and fit in. I had come to care for her more than I would admit.
After calling three clothing stores and two boutiques, I had ordered an array of clothing. I still wasn’t sure what she liked. But I felt confident that some of it would be to her liking.
While waiting for the deliveries, I quickly took care of my daily emails, calls, and check-ins. We had just sat down for lunch when the first set of clothing arrived. I watched as Sophia gobbled down her lunch and headed upstairs with her new clothes. She looked like a child on Christmas morning, and even her brown eyes sparkled.
As the rest arrived, I had the maids take them up to her room. I didn’t want to invade her privacy, so I left her to go through them on her own time.
After checking in with the guards and relaying the plans for the evening, I headed upstairs. I took a shower and got ready for dinner. As I tied my shoes, I noticed it was almost time to leave. Walking down the hall to Sophia’s room, I wondered if she had decided on something to wear.
I knocked and waited. There was a scurrying sound from inside before she spoke. “Yes?”
“Sophia,” I called back through the door. “Are you almost ready?”
“Yes, I’ll be down in a bit,” she replied.
Shaking my head, I wondered what she was doing. But I didn’t bother further. I headed downstairs. I collected my keys and waited in the foyer.
Looking up, I saw her coming down the stairs. She looked like an angel descending from the heavens. I swallowed hard, trying to dislodge the lump in my throat. She had decided to wear the beige dress with the slit on one side. It stretched up to the top of her thigh. The sparkling silver heels made her legs stand out. I felt a layer of sweat developing on the back of my neck.
Her silky-smooth reddish-brown hair was pinned up into a messy bun. A couple of strands framed her face perfectly. Big golden loop earrings adorned the sides of her face. The simple necklace added just the right amount of style to complement her appearance. This is not what I expected. She was above elegant, not a look I ever thought I would see on her. She made me feel breathless.
For a moment, I thought I was dreaming. I rubbed my eyes to confirm and pinched myself to be sure I was awake and not dead. That she wasn’t an angel coming to collect my soul. No, I wasn’t dead or asleep. Glancing down, I rubbed my hands. My palms were damp, so I wiped them on my pants.
I pushed my hands through my hair as I looked down at the floor before me. Clearing my throat, I tried to keep my tone even as I spoke. “Are you ready to leave?”
She didn’t reply instantly. I looked up at her. A light smile decorated her lips. I felt my heart skip a beat before it started racing. It was pounding so hard, I thought it might jump out of my chest.
What the hell was happening to me? Why was this plain woman pulling my heartstrings? There was a force in me like I had never felt. I had to fight the urge to pull her into my arms and kiss her.
Why? I barely know her. These feelings weren’t right. Shaking my head, I tried clearing my thoughts.
“Yes,” I heard her reply. Her voice was like the sunrise kissing the ocean.
Extending my hand to her, I smiled back. Instead of taking it like normal, she brushed past me and headed out the door. Looking up at the ceiling, I breathed in hard. She was somehow driving me up the wall.
Quickening my pace as I walked, I ensured I got ahead of her and opened the car door. She gave me a slight smile as she slid into the seat. This was going to be a long dinner, I thought as I got in on my side.
The drive to my cousin's place went quickly. They stayed in one of my properties, not too far away. Pulling up to the large double-story house, I noticed that everyone was there. The driveway was lined with one BMW, two trucks, a motorbike, and one pink SUV.
“Interesting color,” Sophia remarked as we stopped and got out.
“Elhaida, Mikhel’s sister, is an interesting woman,” I replied, taking her hand and walking up the steps to the front door.
The door swung open as we took the last step. There stood Mikhel and Yogu. “Good evening,” they practically spat at us in unison.
“Good evening,” I replied as they stepped aside, allowing us in.
Mikhel waved us towards the dining room as he spoke. “Please go in, everyone is waiting.”
Everyone was seated in their usual places except for the seat next to me. This one was open where Yogu used to sit. He was now seated on the other side of the table. Elhaida got up and approached us as we entered. She hugged me and then moved to hug Sophia. As she leaned in, Sophia stepped back.
“Sorry,” Elhaida said. “I take it you’re not the hugging kind?” Elhaida extended her hand, which Sophia took and shook, smiling at her.
