“I love you,” he murmurs. It feels like my throat is closing up.
My mom clears her throat.
“I came to help,” she says. I quickly peel myself off him and go to the fridge. We collect all the ingredients, paper plates, cups, and napkins.
Soren keeps his distance until my family starts filling in. Then he can’t keep his hands off me. Whispering things in my ear. Asking if I need help and glued to my side like he wants to be nowhere else in the world, even if that’s a mere six feet away.
I can’t take it. I pull him aside.
“What are you doing?” I whisper to him in the corner.
“Convincing your family how much I love you.” He smiles widely as the blush creeps up my face. I turn and stomp back into the thick of things. Soren follows on my heels.
“This is my favorite sweater on you,” he purrs. His hand tugs at the end, reeling me in closer.
“I’m making a sandwich,” I say, struggling to swallow my exasperation.
“Sorry,” he says smiling. He acts like he’s backing off, but a moment later, he wraps his arms around me from behind. His fingers brush my hair, trying to gain access to the terrible spoton my neck he’s decided is the perfect place to gift kisses all day. I can’t do one more of them. The spot has turned into an erogenous zone, and each time his warm lips brush against it, I nearly lose my ability to stand up straight.
“Stop that,” I hiss. I look up to see my mom raising her eyebrow. Shit.
Soren swoops in and kisses the spot while I’m distracted.
“You’re so beautiful,” he whispers loud enough that everyone can hear it.
“Soren, please,” I beg. I’m losing control of my emotions. My heart is breaking away from my mind. He’s confusing me entirely. Was he really telling the truth when he was balls deep? I didn’t realize men could do that. I’m starting to believe him, though. That he might actually love me. What sort of psychopath falls in love with his therapist?
Soren peels himself away and grabs the two paper plates in front of me. He takes the finished sandwiches to the people who ordered them and then comes back around the kitchen bar.
“I’ll stop embarrassing you in front of your family,” he says. It earns awws and chuckles from everyone. “Sit down, I’ll make yours.”
The sandwich he makes me is a piece of art. He pulls the pepper relish from the fridge and toasts the bread. He goes the extra mile, putting together a cranberry cocktail. When he sets it in front of me at the table, all I can do is stare at it.
“Wait, I almost forgot.” He races to the pantry and pulls out a bag of salt and vinegar chips.
“I thought we were out,” I say. He walks back over while popping the bag. I keep staring as he shakes a serving onto my plate. I don’t know what to feel as I stare at it all. This is the sameexactsandwich I made myself last week. I didn’t even realize he was paying attention.
“I grabbed some more chips this morning when I stopped to get the pastries and coffee.” He leans over and kisses the top of my head.
Oh, no. This is bad. This isreallybad. Soren lifts me off the chair with ease, sits down, and then resettles me on his lap. I almost cry as I eat the sandwich. A stupid fucking sandwich is doing me in.
“You okay?” He asks softly, rubbing my arm as I shove another huge bite in my mouth. I try to say “wonderful” around the food but it’s impossible to understand. I must look emotional because I see my sister-in-law try to discreetly mouth “pregnant” to my aunt.
I drop the sandwich.
“I’m not pregnant,” I snap. My entire family twists their heads my way, their eyes widening slightly. “Yes, we got married fast. Yes, we eloped. It was exciting, okay? He fascinated me from the very first time I saw him. I couldn’t walk away. Even if it meant risking everything.”
“Thank you, Sophie.” He chuckles, his hands running up my arms.
“I love him,” I blurt. Soren’s hands still. I swallow thickly when I feel my eyes sting. This is all too much. I’m losing my mind, and I’m definitely acting like it. My family looks shocked at my sudden outburst.
“He asked me to marry him—to never leave. I’m attached to him so thoroughly that I can’t imagine anything else. He’s brought something back into my life I’ve been missing for a long time. Excitement, risk… I love him, okay? Can we drop the questions?”
I get up from the table and stomp off to the bedroom. A few minutes later, Soren squeezes into the room. His eyes settle on me.
“Do you love me, Sophie?”
“Of course not.” I turn my head away.
