"More plans," she says quickly. "I'm booked up for most of this year."
Gabriel clears his throat. "I'll leave you two alone to discuss this. Thanks again, Nicholas."
As he steps away I focus back on Sophia. "Are you seeing someone?"
"How is that your business?"
"Do you have a boyfriend?" I counter with a question of my own, trying hard to ignore the amused look on her face.
"I don't." She shakes her head. "I have a new maternity collection to work on and I can't spare any time to go out for dinner."
"I'll bring dinner to you," I hear myself say. Why do I sound so fucking desperate?
Her arms cross her chest. "I'm not telling you my address. You're a stranger."
"I'm not a stranger." I chuckle. "I'm not going to do anything other than bring you dinner, Sophia."
"I can make my own dinner." She moves back behind her desk. "I appreciate the offer, but I'm not interested, Mr. Wolf."
"Nicholas," I stress each syllable. "You are interested. We both know you are. Why pretend you're not?"
"I'm not pretending." She lowers into her chair. "I'm grateful you signed the books for Gabriel and Isla. Thank you again for that. You can go now."
"I can go now?" I repeat back. "Are you telling me tofuck off?"
Her brows pop up. "I didn't say that. If that's how you took it, I apologize but I have work to get to."
Jesus Christ.This woman isn't giving me an inch. I should turn around, walk out and forget she even exists.
I do the first, then the second and as I wait for the elevator to take me back to the lobby, I know that there's no way in hell I'm going to forget about Sophia Reese.
CHAPTER SIX
Sophia
I tryto avoid being rude at all costs. There's that old saying about catching more flies with honey than vinegar. It's something my mom used to repeat to me and my brother on an almost daily basis; that and the timeless jewel about not saying anything if you can't say something nice.
Nicholas was right. I was essentially telling him to fuck off but in a semi-polite way.
The man is dangerous. His smile says it all. It screams that he's a devil in bed and a monster in the afterglow. I don't need that. If I fall prey to his charms, my design schedule will suffer and I can't let that happen.
Men come and go in life, but my career is going to take me to the places I long to be.
It's as simple as that.
"Did you agree to have dinner with Nicholas?"
I've never once spoken to Mr. Foster about what I do when I leave my desk at the end of the day. He doesn't ask. I don't offer. It's an unspoken agreement between the two of us.
"What?" I look up and into his face. "Did you ask me about Nicholas, sir?"
"He invited you to dinner tonight and you turned him down. Did you find a night that works for both of you?"
Yes. It's the first Tuesday after the world ends.
"We didn't." I don't offer more; instead I bury my attention in a document that I should have filed a week ago.
"You have reservations about dating him, don't you?"
