He nodded. “My mom brought us all. Out of nowhere, too. We were running all over the place. Hopping on the couches, exploring one room and the next. My mom, though, she walked right over to the window—looked just like this outside.” Blayze paused there, glanced over at Sophia.
No more than a foot of space stood between them, a distance made smaller as she leaned on one hip. And there was that scent of him again. Spicy cologne that reminded her of a massive forest, one she could get lost in if she let herself.
He studied her face for a bit, seeming to gauge whether or not he should continue. She gave him a small, reassuring nod, feeling the weight of his memory in the room. So heavy, it made her chest ache.
He licked his lips, averted his gaze, and then the spell was gone. “Anyway,” he said with a shrug. “We better get some sleep.” With that, Blayze strode toward the pile of luggage that had been left by the door.
She’d been so close to scratching another surface of Mr. Blayze Brockton just then. Which was encouraging really, considering the two had only just met. Still, her heart reeled from the effects of being so near. Near to him physically, and near to his secrets too. She couldn’t help but think she’d been given rare access to a side of Blayze people seldom saw, and she wanted more.
A door closed, letting her know she’d seen the last of him for the evening. “Buenas noches, Senior Misterioso,” she mumbled.Mr. Mysterious indeed.
As beat as she was, Sophia would never fall asleep without winding down. A shower would be a good start, but what she craved most was a small glass of something bubbly and a good sitcom to take her mind off the list of work she had ahead of her. Perhaps tomorrow night she’d ask Blayze if he’d like to join her. As for tonight, she was on her own.
* * *
Blayze kept the light off in his bedroom and strode back to the sight at the window, a continuation of the view from the dining area. At once he was standing beside his mother again while Chanze and Jazmin raided the snack pantry.
“How long are we going to stay here, Mom?”
She traced a finger down the penthouse window. “I don’t know,” she whispered. “As long as we feel like it. Daddy gets to stay in a penthouse with his secretary. I get to stay in a penthouse with you guys. What do you think about that?”
“And watch scary movies?”
“Sure, baby. And watch all the scary movies you want.”
Blayze hadn’t known it yet, as young as he’d been, but that night marked the beginning of the end. The moment his mom saw fit to declare her independence from a marriage where his father had been less than faithful from the start.
He could hardly believe he’d almost shared that moment with Sophia. What had he been thinking? Since when did he feel the urge to share a sob story withanyone,let alone a stranger?
But then her words filtered through his mind. Stories she’d shared about herself, her past, in those speeches. They’d affected him. Made him feel like he knew her in a way. That he could trust her. And while that might be true, there was no need to burden her with crud from his past. He’d been hired to protect her for crying out loud.
He nodded, setting his mind back on course. Sure, Sophia was captivating. She had a gift for connecting with people, but that didn’t mean he could forget himself. For the remainder of the time he worked with her, Blayze would remember to keep things professional. Besides, Roman had gotten hold of that list for him. May as well take a look at it before hitting the sack.
Chapter 8
“That’s four days down and one to go,” Sophia’s father said from the other end of the line. “Then you get to relax for a long weekend.”
Sophia propped the phone up to her ear with her shoulder while reaching for the clasp on her heel strap. “I know, Papa. I’m so excited.” Her left shoe hit the floorboard with a thud, followed by the right. “I bet Mr. Brockton is excited too,” she said, tossing the quiet man a smile.
Blayze, who was already busy scribbling at one of his mind maps, shot her a small grin in acknowledgement, those blue eyes reflecting the oncoming headlights like sapphires.
“Oh, no doubt,” her father agreed. “He probably deserves an extra tip for all the crap you give him for trying to open doors and carry luggage.”
She chuckled. “Here, say that again while I have you on speaker. Blayze will appreciate hearing that.” She tapped the screen to set it on speaker mode and aimed the small device toward Blayze. “Okay,Papi, say that one more time.”
“I said… my daughter is in need of a quiet dinner, Mr. Brockton. Could you take her someplace nice tomorrow night? My treat.”
Sophia’s eyes nearly popped right out of her head. She yanked the phone back, took it off speaker, and brought it to her ear. “You’re rotten,” she scolded. “I’m never trusting you again.”
Her father chuckled heartily from the other line. “You have to be able to lighten up sometime, my Sophie girl.”
She risked another look at Blayze while her face beamed with heat. “That’snotwhat I told him to repeat,” she explained.
Blayze nodded. “I figured.”
“Well, now you’ve gone and offended him,” her father grumbled. “Don’t make the man think you’re repulsed by the idea of a nice evening together. You could do a lot worse…”
Sophia turned her face away from Blayze, rested her forehead against the darkened window. “Stop,” she mumbled.
