Leona should have stumbled in on him doing push-ups this morning—without his shirt.Talk about home improvement. Sophia glanced over in time to see Blayze avert his gaze. Chances were, he’d read the text; he was trained to watch for any signs of danger, after all. It wouldn’t exactly be snooping if he were keeping surveillance. She tapped a few keys to clear the text, not bothering to reply.
“So, what did you think about Ms. Vasco today?” Roman asked from the front seat.
Sophia felt her face flush. Sure, the man was proud of her, but she wasn’t one to go fishing for compliments. If Blayze had wanted to say something about her speech today, he would’ve already done so. Still, her eyes drifted over to catch his reply.
“She was incredible,” he said, eyes set on her.
Sophia’s heart raced so hard it felt like it was chasing its own beat. And there it was—the familiar spark of heat that flickered when they slowed down and talked.
Blayze cleared his throat and glanced up at Roman. “It restored my faith in politics, to be honest.”
“Knowing the Vasco family has done that for me and Tiff too,” Roman said. “My wife and I keep telling these guys to leave the legal side behind and run for President of the United States. Heck, I’d vote for either one of them in a heartbeat.”
Sophia put her face in her hands. “Bless you, Roman, but if you keep on going my head will grow so big you’ll need a crane to get me out of here.”
While Roman laughed off her comment, Sophia geared the conversation toward her father and how things went on his end. A topic that continued until they arrived at the hotel.
“Thanks again for your help today, Roman,” Sophia said as she gathered her things. “And tell Tiff thanks too for being willing to give you up this week. Oh, and for watching Chico for me.”
“Will do,” he assured. “I’ll see you guys in the A.M.”
Blayze had already stepped out of the Rover and was standing beside the brightly lit entrance in the roundabout. Purposelynotopening her door, per her earlier request. She watched him for a minute. If she didn’t know better she’d say he was sulking. Shoulders hunched slightly, hands in his pockets as he thumped the curb with his shoe.
As she climbed out of the Rover, Sophia replayed what he’d said about her speech. ‘She was incredible.’Even in memory, it sent a thrill straight through her chest. He’d also said it had restored his faith in politics, which had to have more to do with the overall day. But still…
Blayze followed her through the entrance and into the elevator, where he stood in the opposite corner. The air between them had changed; like that weird, first-date vibe. Stilted conversation. Clammy hands. Heart a little fluttery. She wasn’t sure what to make of it.
Nothing, Sophia. Just ignore it.She was probably imagining it anyway.
The idea almost made her laugh aloud. She definitelywasn’timagining it. She was a grown woman after all; she knew chemistry when she felt it.
The bell dinged and the doors rolled open. A vase of purple lilies stood on the small table in the lobby. “Oh, those are so beautiful,” she said, rushing over to smell them. The scent was more earthy than floral, due to the greens mixed in the bunch, but it was still as pleasing as it was familiar. “Lilies were my mom’s favorite,” she said.
A soft smile pulled at Blayze’s mouth as he swiped the keycard over the sensor. “Coral roses,” he said as he pushed open the door. “That was my mom’s favorite.”
A vision of Linda’s casket came to mind. “Like the ones at her funeral?” She could barely believe the man had so recently lost his mother. She made a mental note to keep that in mind during their time together; he was in the thick of the grieving process.
Blayze nodded, stepping inside first while holding the door for her.
“Thank you,” she said, reaching for the light switch. She slipped her purse onto the massive twill rug in the entryway. “I have two favorites. I love daisies and yellow roses. I’ve tried really hard to like one over the other but I can’t. It’s like deciding which parent you love more—impossible.”
“Excuse me while I do a thorough check of the suite.” Blayze gave her a polite nod before shifting into an entirely different stance, gun in hand and aimed before him. It reminded her that Blayze would be on duty the entire time they were together, night and day. It was sure to get tiring for him.
She glanced over the room. Even among the many she’d stayed in, this penthouse was impressive. The furniture in the place was minimalistic. A lot of straight lines and neutral tones. It allowed the embellishments to pop. On the dining room table, a tall red vase held even taller twigs with colorful, gold-edged leaves. The side table held a matching arrangement. But most impressive of all, along the back of the penthouse where the lights were out, floor to ceiling windows took up the entire wall.
“All clear,” Blayze said, coming from the hallway he’d entered moments ago.
“Thank you,” she whispered, striding slowly across the white, crystal quartz floors. “Wow. Look at that view.”
Blayze engaged the extra door locks then followed her to the spacious area before the window. Two chairs that looked more like footstools stood side-by-side, but neither Sophia nor Blayze took a seat. He brought his face just inches from the glass, a world of mysteries whirling in those blue eyes of his.
“I’ve only been in a place like this one other time,” he said quietly, almost reverently. “I swear, looking out at the city lights… it puts me right back there.”
Sophia froze in place, surprised that he was opening up, fearing that it was one of those spells that could vanish in a puff of smoke if she disrupted it. Still, when he didn’t elaborate, she spoke up. “How old were you?”
“Seven. No, eight I think because Chanze had been teasing Jazmin about her braces, and she didn’t get those until she was twelve.”
A laugh snuck out. “I can’t imagine how much fun it would’ve been to grow up with siblings.”
