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Part of him wished that to be the case, but the other part of him hated knowing he may never be with Sophie again. He’d thought for sure once he let her in, he’d be able to move on. He’d been lying to himself, because now that he and Sophie had been as physically intimate as they could be, he wanted more. And damn, if that didn’t just confuse him even more.
Chapter Fourteen
“Yes, Martin, I understand.”
Sophie sat in her car, head back against the headrest, and gritted her teeth. She hadn’t looked forward to calling Martin, but she’d had no choice. Her assistant was back from an extended vacation and apparently there was an offer on a city building that Sophie had been trying to sell. The buyer had questions that Sophie needed answers to—answers her ex could provide.
“I’m just asking if the building were to be purchased and turned into apartments, would the buyer be responsible for all the safety codes, or would the city help, since the building is an historical one?”
“Who’s the buyer?” he asked.
Rolling her eyes, Sophie brought her hand to her forehead to try to rub away the tension headache. She’d not slept well after her night with Zach.
Her night with Zach. As if a life-altering experience could be summed up in such a simple way. As if having your entire world flipped upside down by the man you were completely in love with could be simplified and contained into just one night . . . not possible. And now more than ever she knew she loved him, and damn, if that didn’t complicate her whole “this doesn’t have to be more” speech.
Even though she’d run home and showered, Sophie could still smell him on her skin. Her body still tingled where he’d touched, and he’d touched her everywhere.
“Sophie,” Martin growled. “Are you still there?”
Unfortunately. “It doesn’t matter who the buyer is, Martin. They have made a generous offer and personally I think turning the building into apartments will be a smart move for the city. I also think you all should help if the coding needs a major overhaul.”
“Not if it’s a slum lord buying them.”
Oh, for pity’s sake. Sophie grabbed her purse and stepped from her car. Her hip was a bit more tender than usual today, but she’d take the extra pain considering the amazing night she’d had.
“I assure you, it’s not a slum lord.” She stepped into her office, waving at Tasha, who greeted Sophie with a smile. “I need your answer by the end of the day.”
Without waiting on him to ask another ridiculous question, Sophie disconnected the call and sank onto the cushioned bench with scrolled arms that sat against the wall opposite Tasha’s desk.
“I’m sorry.” Her assistant wrinkled her nose. “I didn’t know you two had broken up or I would’ve just called and gotten the information myself. I just assumed you’d get it faster than me.”
Waving a hand, Sophie propped her purse on the bench beside her. “It’s okay. A lot happened while you were away.”
How could things be summed up so easily? Lately her life had been anything but easy. Frustrating, thrilling, worrisome . . . so many emotions to really nail it down to one.
“Well, I’ll try to stay on top of things now that I’m back.”
Sophie smiled. “You’re all tan. I assume the weather was nice?”
“I didn’t want to leave.” Tasha eased forward on her desk and clasped her hands. “But I don’t want to talk about my family vacation. You look exhausted but happy, and you’re not with Martin. What’s up?”
Exhausted? Yes. Happy? Deliriously so.
The dogs had started barking just as Zach had drifted off to sleep. Sophie wanted him to rest; the man deserved it. So she brought the dogs up to his room, hoping they’d be happy if they were with their “master.” That plan had worked, but left no room for her in the bed.
Okay, that was an excuse. She was terrified of sliding back between those sheets and nestling in next to Zach’s hard, lean body. She had to distance herself emotionally. Being with Zach was more than she’d ever hoped for, but she’d promised him only physical, and she was going to keep her promise.
“You’re looking pretty content,” Tasha said with a tilt of her head and a smile. Her pretty blue eyes crinkled at the corners. “You’ve met someone new?”
Tasha knew everything about Sophie’s life, from the overbearing, controlling parents to the accident that left her scarred. Though she didn’t know about the infertility caused by the accident, and Sophie wasn’t going to let her in on her relationship with Zach, either. Zach was her secret, tucked safely away in
that special place in her heart.
“I’ve just had my eyes opened,” Sophie explained. “Martin wasn’t for me, and now that I’m single again, I’m just really enjoying myself.”
Thoroughly enjoying herself.
“I think there’s more,” Tasha said with a knowing grin. “But since I’m swamped this morning, I’ll let you off the hook. You have a message from a doctor who’s moving into the area and he’s looking for a two-story home with charm. His wife is pregnant, so they want a yard. I left all the specifics in a note on your desk and I told him you’d be getting back to him today.”
