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“M-Mr. Sutton?” Sophie’s gasp sends the blood rushing away from my head. “Did you…how did…what?”
“I, uh…” My tongue gets stuck in my throat and I have to swallow hard before I can speak. “I met Emma at the dog park a few weeks ago. I just happened to run into her again while I was out looking for Max.” I assumed Emma would drive herself over, I hadn’t been prepared to come face-to-face with the reason I’ve been avoiding the office.
Sophie turns to look over her shoulder at a cowed Emma, before snapping her eyes back to me. “I had no idea, Mr. Sutton. I’m so sorry. I swear, I didn’t know you lived here. It won’t happen again. Thank you for finding the cat. We’re going to go. Now.” Sophie finally draws a breath as she hikes the cat against her shoulder and backs away, grabbing Emma by the shoulder.
Shit.
“Sophie.” Her name is sunshine in my mouth, warming me up from the inside out. “Wait…please.”
The scrabble of Max’s claws against the wood floor of my house warns me to either go inside or close the door before he bolts again. “Would you like to come in for a moment?”
Sophie gapes at me, clutching the cat to her chest. Emma is the one who charges up the front steps and past me into the house. “Come on, Mom. Hi, Maxxy boy!”
Mom.
I knew that from seeing them at the dog park, but seeing them together drives it home.
Emma is Sophie’s kid.
“Are you sure?” Sophie’s question is so quiet I almost miss it.
“Moooooooom, Teddy invited you inside.” Emma’s impatience pulls a smirk from me. I step aside and wave Sophie into my house with a tip of my head. I don’t know why I do,only a select few people have ever been inside.
From the outside, my home looks like a run-of-the-mill, solidly upper middle class home. Sure, five bedrooms is a little large for just me and Max, but when Casey and her family come to visit, we all enjoy that I have space enough for everyone to stay with me rather than a hotel.
Inside, I let my tech-loving nerd heart have free reign. If it can be controlled from an app, I probably have it built into my home. My sister convinced me to let her interior designer decorate the place for me, and my housekeeper Nan makes sure I never have to worry about anything but keeping it tidy between her visits. Could I live in a penthouse downtown with daily maid service and someone to take care of Max whenever I needed? Absolutely. Do I want to? Never.
“Teddy?” Sophie stops in front of me, one eyebrow quirked, her head tipped to the side. One sneakered foot taps a rhythm on my front porch. “No one calls you…Teddy.”
My home is my sanctuary, my escape from being “Theodore Sutton, tech billionaire and most eligible bachelor in Portland.” Once I walk through my front door I’m just Teddy. Although I didn’t say no to the luxury of a five-head shower when Casey insisted it be installed. My older sister may have much more expensive taste than me, but she made my home a hidden oasis of luxury and I’m not complaining.
It takes everything in me not to kiss the incredulous look off Sophie's face. Instead I rub one hand on the back of my neck and shrug. “My sister does. I’m not always your scary boss, you know.”
We stare at each other for a long minute, my eyes searching hers like in the dark of the limo. I don’t want to tell her that I know she’s Elinor Price, but I won’t be mad if she admits it. Instead of slamming her lips against mine like she did after the gala, Sophie blinks and steps back, giving herself a small shake. “Thank you for finding the cat, but we can’t impose on your weekend.” She leans into the house. “Emma, come on. Let’s go!”
“But Mom, have you seen his backyard? It’s huge!” Emma’s voice drifts back to us.
Sophie closes her eyes briefly, before startling me by bellowing into my house. “Emma Grace Miller, quit stalling and get your ass out here right now.” Her blue eyes go wide when she realizes what she said and one hand claps over her mouth. “Oh my God, I can’t believe I just said that in front of you.” Her cheeks turn scarlet when I chuckle.
And because I just can’t help myself—I take a step closer and lean down to whisper in her ear. “I promise not to tell the Bastard-in-Chief. Your secret is safe with me.” My lips brush her ear as I speak, her arms holding the cat pressing against my chest. All it would take is one more step for us to be pressed against each other, but I don’t. I can’t, no matter how much I want to.
Emma brushes past Sophie, knocking her forward that last inch. I steady her with my hands on her waist while Emma stomps down the steps to the sidewalk, oblivious to us. Sophie’s breath hitches in her chest at the contact. Does she remember the way my fingers feel on her body the same way I do?
Twelve
Sophie
“I…We should go…I need to take her to…nevermind.” I stutter over the words. Now that I’ve brought his dog back, I should retreat, but I make no attempt to walk away. Theo’s fingers flex on my waist, holding me still.
Does he know that was me in the limo? Theo's hands on my body are thrilling and familiar in a way I don’t understand. I should be running for the car right now. Hell, there’s a lot of things I should be doing right now that would be way more appropriate for the boss/employee relationship we have.
His eyes hold mine captive and the world stops turning for a second. A car door opens and closes, probably Emma, but I don’t look, too lost in the ocean-blue pools above me. Max squirms in my arms, reminding me why I’m here in the first place. I blink, breaking the spell between us, and step back.
“Thank you for finding Max.” I lift the cat in thanks and start to turn away. “I’ll see you on Monday?”
Theo’s hand on my elbow stops me walking away. “Thank you. I’d be lost without my Max.” He leans forward a fraction, as if he’s going to step into my space again. Is he going to hug me? Kiss me? Did I just turn into Keira Knightley in Pride and Prejudice? Is it raining?
But before anything interesting can happen, he straightens up. My mouth drops open, whether to speak or in shock I don’t know, and Theo reaches out to close it. “Goodbye, Ms. Alexander, I’ll see you on Monday.”
