AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I rolled my eyes as I reached for another shrimp, but Nathan moved the cocktail glass away from my greedy hands. “Am I not allowed to find the back of someone’s head interesting?” I drawled, rolling my eyes at him.
“More interesting than a new development in ultrasound tech? No, you’re not.”
Shit, is that what the last one had been about? That would have been something I should have paid attention to. “What are you trying to say, Nate?”
“I’m saying you haven’t told me what the fuck has happened between you and Sophie and… don’t give me that look. It’s so obvious, Hudson.”
I steeled my jaw as I reached for the shrimp again, wrestling the glass out of his hand. “Nothing. Nothing’s happened.” I popped another into my mouth, desperately searching for a distraction.
“What happened when you told her how you felt?”
“I didn’t,” I grumbled. “We fucked last night. Are you happy now? You know you don’t need to know every single thing that happens with my cock, right?”
Nathan blinked at me, his brows furrowed, his eyes wide. “Wait, what? You slept with her again and you still haven’t told her?”
“No, I haven’t.”
Nathan scoffed as he took a step back from the table, his deep brown hair shifting about his face as he shook his head. “Jesus, Huds. You’re a fucking idiot.” He pursed his lips as he stared at me, opening and closing his mouth as if he had something he needed to say but couldn’t quite find the words.
If he took much longer, I was going to go to the next speech without him.
“You realize you’re going to ruin any chance you have with her, right?” He spat. “You can’t just keep having sex with the poor thing and leading her on without giving her anything in return. You like her. You know there’s something between you two, and if she’s put up with you for this long, she must have some kind of feelings for you too. You’re dragging her along.”
His words felt like an attack, highlighting every issue I was already aware of yet desperately trying to force to the back of my mind. “It’s not like she’s said anything to me about how she feels.”
“That doesn’t fucking matter anymore, man. That’s not good enough. She’s pregnant with your kid. You and I know better than most how much hormones can fuck you up in that first trimester. You can’t rely on her to make that move.”
I knew he was right, but every part of me wanted to tell him that he was wrong, that he was making assumptions he shouldn’t be, but I couldn’t do that. I couldn’t give the words life, not when I knew deep down that I was the one being stupid.
I should have told her last night. I shouldn’t have waited this long.
————
By the time I’d managed to get checked in to my penthouse and out of the hustle and bustle of the streets, I was exhausted. I needed a shower, I needed sleep. The four hours I’d had, although incredible, weren’t enough to keep me going in a place like New York.
My suite at the Chatwal was more luxurious than I needed. The amenities, the butler, the living space… I didn’t want any of it. What I wanted was to be at a certain condo in the suburbs of Boston.
I needed to call her. I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about her and what Nathan had said for the rest of the day. Instead of staring at the back of someone’s head and imagining Sophie naked in my arms, Sophie kissing me, Sophie asleep against my chest, I’d been imagining Sophie leaving. Sophie turning me down when I eventually worked up the nerve. Sophie running away, just like Becks had.
Pulling my phone from my pocket, I opened the glass doors that lead out onto the balcony, regretting it the moment the door unlatched and the loud sounds of the city filled my ears. Honking car horns, blaring sirens, shouting, a plane overhead. It was too much, too loud, but I needed the somewhat-fresh air if I was going to do this.
My thumb hesitated as it lingered over Sophie’s name. I didn’t know what I was going to say, but I knew damn well that if I took ten minutes to try and come up with something rather than speaking organically, I’d lose the nerve.
I pressed her name.
It rang six times before the dreaded message: The person you are trying to reach is unavailable. Please leave your message after the tone.
I hung up.
Chapter 34
Sophie
Tuesday
Imissed him more than I wanted to admit to myself.
I missed him more than I should have.
