His touch resonates through me and when I see the sincerity in his eyes, I gasp audibly.
"Can I at least have your name?"This man's drawl knocks my heart into overdrive again, his eyes searching mine for long seconds.I wonder what he's thinking as he trains his eyes intently on my face. A strand of my hair flies in front of my face and he deftly lifts it away and tucks it behind my ear.
When his fingers dip to my cheek where a blush has spread across my skin, fireworks spark underneath the touch.
“Sophia," I whisper just loud enough for his ears, my name a whisper on my lips.He nods, his eyes heating with something I wish I had a name for as his finger grazes my cheek and my eyes never leave his."Gavin," he murmurs, giving me his name. I bite my lip at the sound of it and find myself wanting to lean into his touch. The name fits him so well. Gavin."I’ll see you tonight, Gavin." I breathe, feeling lighter as he smiles that crooked smile at me and takes my hand in his once more, not letting go until distance pulls our fingers away from each other."Tonight," he says.***"You're blushing, Sophie. Holy shit,” my sister says, giggling as we pull away from the curb where I can still see Gavin leaning against his car.Her eyes meet mine in the rear view mirror and I inwardly sigh. I can't stop thinking about the way he seemed to focus completely on me.
A man I've never met. I've never felt that with anyone I've dated. Undivided attention.
"That was...intense.” I mumble to my still blushing sister as she starts her car.“I'd say. And that car had to be expensive. Like something out of a movie.”I turn left and flit my eyes over to her with a grin. It was a Jaguar.It's one of the most expensive foreign automotive brands out there. When I explain this to her, she looks at me as if I have two heads and shakes her head.
"Forget the car, he was beautiful! You should have given him your number, honey. He was looking at you like you were water and he was thirsting for a tall glass.”I burst into giggles at that and she joins me as we pull into our apartment lot. "You're horrible, Kel. I swear I don't know where you got your sense of humor.”She grins at me, giving me that look again. She knows I'm delaying what she wants to talk to me about. About the mysterious man we met today. About how I feel about seeing him again."Oh, come on, you couldn’t take your eyes off him. I've never seen you react to a man like that. I think you should get back out there, Sophie. Don't you think it's time?”I sigh, feeling both terrified and excited at the idea of seeing him again."I don't know, Kel. It's only been four months and honestly, I have no idea how to put myself out there again. I'm not ready.""I know, but if you don't try you could really regret not taking the chance.” Her bright eyes implore me to say something, but I’m speechless.I haven’t - no, I couldn’t - let myself think about starting something new ever since I woke up in the hospital four months ago.
I can’t be hurt again. I won’t let that happen. But Gavin…he looked at me like no other man has and it confuses me. Am I ready?
“I don’t know. It was like he saw me, the real me. Not the ballet dancer or the rich girl or the heartbroken teenager that everyone else sees when they look at me. But you saw him, Kel. He probably has a girlfriend or a wife! I can’t compete with God knows who."She doesn’t answer me, just shakes her head and gets out of the car, then leans back in through the window to meet my guarded gaze."I didn’t see a ring on his finger. And you’re beautiful and mysterious, remember?"I folded my fingers in my lap, trying to clear my thoughts. She's right. He did say that. The thoughts and emotions inside me have me tangled up, confused, hesitant. I don’t know if I’m ready, will I ever be?"We both know I’m not ready for any sort of a relationship right now!"The words tumble out of me, my own insecurities voiced. My eyes sting with emotion and I turn my gaze away from the window.
I get out of the car and circle the back to meet her in the front of my car. I hope that maybe she’ll just let this go, please just let this go, Kel. But I feel her brown eyes on me as I take the stairs.Taking my hands, she tugs me down to sit on the top step with her. My determined-as-hell sister looks at me, imploring me to listen, and it’s not the first time today.
Sighing, I squeeze her hands with mine so she knows I'm listening."Sophie, it was never your fault what Bryce did to you, and it doesn’t mean that you aren’t just as deserving of love as anyone else in this world."No. With the sound of his name, my voice dies in my throat. I don’t want to think about him. My chest aches with the memories that flood me from the sound of a man's name I haven’t heard in weeks.Kel doesn’t let go, though. She takes hold of my wrists and glides up the sleeve of my sweatshirt until the yellowing bruises on my skin are revealed, along with the cuts marring the pale skin there.Shame washes over me, and my eyes close briefly as I fight to push down the sadness that tries to make its way into my thoughts.
When the pain had gotten to be too much, when I believed I was just as useless as he made me feel, I found a way to take away the pain in my own way.
It was the lowest point in my life and I couldn't see my self-worth when I was with him. I see it now, though.
"Look at me." Kel has tears in her eyes as she wipes the side of her cheek.In her eyes I see how much she worries for me. She knows just how much I’ve gone through, how long it’s taken me to feel whole again.
“You. Are. Beautiful. Sophia. It wasn’t your fault what he did to you and you should never let the fear of getting hurt again stop you from going after what you want, honey.It’s been four months, and the fact that you’re dancing again tells me that you’re moving on from the hurt and the pain Bryce inflicted. Just keep your heart open, okay? You deserve happiness. I found it with Lucas and I know you can, too."I nod, unable to speak as my heart swells with love for my remarkable sister. Kel kisses my forehead and squeezes my hand, giving me strength in this moment.
Taking a deep breath, I decide to give myself a chance. A chance for happiness. One date never killed anyone. Right?
"Let’s go get ready for this party, huh?" I grab her hands and pull her to stand, hooking my arm in hers as we head upstairs to plan a celebration.As we turn the corner and near the apartment, we see Lucas, my sister’s fiance as of three days ago, leaning up against our door. With messy blond hair and a lip piercing, topaz green eyes and a lopsided smile, he’s every girl’s dream and I can see how happy she is with him. He looks up and smiles when he sees us."Hey, sweetheart." Immediately Kel steps into his arms and he kisses her forehead.“You don’t have your key?" she asks, smiling as she looks at him through her thick-lashed eyes."I do, just thought I’d wait for you. How did it go, Sophia?"Lucas wraps an arm around my sister’s shoulder and then releases her to give me one of his well-known and loved bear hugs, lifting me off my feet easily. I grin and laugh and wipe the moisture from my eyes before he sees it."It went great,” Kel says for me as Lucas takes my keys to unlock our door. The minute I make it to the couch I set my dance bag down and plop onto the love seat, where Kel joins me.“You were amazing," Kel says, ob
I take a deep breath, trying to lift my body that’s numb from the medication I must be on. Pain spears me in the chest as I remember his face, my cries for him to stop, and the pain down there and throughout my whole body. I just don't understand how I hadn't seen him for what he really was until that moment. I was so blind. I cover my face with my hands in an effort to gather my scattered thoughts.“He came home really angry...I tried to talk to him, but then he hit me and I must have blacked out because when I woke up I was in his bed. He...Oh, God..." My voice cracks as I realize the three words that I can’t seem to wrap my head around. He loved me, I know he did, but last night, God, he was just...a monster.Kel squeezes my hand and with her eyes full of sympathy and love, urges me to continue."He forced himself on me, Kel," I say in a shaky voice, grasping onto her as she wraps her arms around me and hugs me tight, allowing me to finally let go of the overwhelming emotions tha
“Did you hear?" I ask, and Kel smiles that proud sister smile that I’ve only seen twice before across her face.She grabs me by the shoulders, her laughter ringing against my ear as she hugs me tight. We’re both basking in this moment. The first happy moment we’ve had in so, so long."I knew you’d get it!" Kel squeals, squeezing me once more. She lets me go and has a wide grin on her face. She’s happy for me, just like I knew she would be.Swinging her arm around me, she whispers in my ear, “He’s here, you know. He’s talking with Lucas now." A blush rushes to my cheeks in anticipation. My joy in my news is replaced by the excitement and nervousness of seeing Gavin again."Do I look okay?" I rub my hands down my lavender mid-length summer dress, biting my lip when it starts to tremble. I don’t want to mess this up. Kel is right; it’s time to live again.Kel’s hand reaches out and squeezes mine.“You’re perfect, Sophie.” She tucks my hair behind my ears and gives me a little push towar
“What the hell, Sophia, are you okay?" Farah asks as she grabs my hand and we sit on the steps. I take a deep breath and turn to her. She’s been my rock for as long as I can remember. I don’t know what I’d do without her.“I don’t know what I’m doing, Farah. I met this guy today and he’s, God, so gorgeous. Like his eyes captivate me and when he was holding me just now, it felt so right, you know?"She grins and squeezes my hand for reassurance, her reddish-brown hair tucked behind her ears, her knowing eyes seeing right through me."Then go with it, Sophia. Don’t start over thinking it!""He called me beautiful, Farah. I mean, I don’t even know his last name! Is this crazy?"She shakes her head and looks into my eyes, forcing me to be honest.“Do you like him?" She cocks her head to the side, pinning me with her gaze."Yes.""Then stop thinking about it. I can tell he likes you." I grin at the thought and narrow my eyes at her."Really? How?"Her eyes gleam with a smile as she throws
"Sophia," he whispers against my lips, pulling back an inch to meet my eyes, reading them for a moment before that gorgeous smile graces his mouth and he leans his forehead against mine. I let go of his shirt and wrap my hands around the back of his neck as I struggle to catch my breath."That was...wow," I whisper, smiling excitedly. His hand brushes my flushed cheek and his mouth sets in a smile that shows off his ruggedly handsome face."Amazing," he says, pressing his lips to mine softly once more before he leans back and grasps my hand, his eyes shining as he gazes down at me. "Do you want to dance, beautiful?"I grin and nod as he leads me back inside. My heart beats fast and erratically in my chest. His fingers close over mine as we walk back to the almost empty dance floor where a soft melody by Shania Twain is playing. He pulls me into him and presses a hand to my waist. He sweeps me into a slow dance that is just as graceful as before, only this time he presses his mouth
"When did you start dancing?" he asks, his deep voice next to my ear."When I began preschool, my mom enrolled me in a toddler dance academy, and my love for it grew from there.""Is your mom a dancer?” Gavin’s hands skate down my arms, causing goose bumps.I giggle and press closer to him. Being in his arms feels better than I could have imagined. "That’s two questions, but no, she isn’t. She's a model and travels a lot, too." The last thing I wantto think about is my absentee mother, but he asked and, truly, I want Gavin to know me."Did I upset you?" he asks, turning me so that I’m facing him. I hastily shake my head, pressing it against his shoulder as his hand strokes up and down my back."No, she wasn’t around a lot when I was growing up, though. I actually haven’t talked to her in a long time."Deftly, Gavin lifts my face with a finger under my chin and gazes into my eyes."I understand, but if she doesn’t appreciate you then it’s her loss, Sophia, not yours." My heart skips
"My dad passed Thomas Corporations down to me, the family company, last spring. He’d been priming me for it since I was fifteen years old. I own and operate it now, along with my mom, of course, who runs the offices and legal aspects of it."My breath catches. I struggle to imagine how much money he must make, owning a growing computer technology corporation like that. Mom always told me to follow the men with gold, but it doesn’t make me want him any less or any more. It’s just a surprise."Wow. I mean I figured you had a pretty high-end job to afford your Jaguar, but I didn’t expect that. What do you do? It’s computer technology, right?" He nods and leans back a little so his eyes meet mine in the setting sun."We try to innovate mobile and computer technologies for modern-day society. After Windows 8, our system was in almost every PC in America."I give him a smile, reassuring him that I’m only curious about his work and not trying to pry."Windows 8?""Yeah, once we put together
As I make my way into the kitchen, I see my dad giving Kel a hug. I squeal, a huge smile on my face since I haven’t seen him in weeks. Excitement bubbles up inside me when he turns and sees me."Pumpkin, come here,” Dad says, pulling away from my sister. I run into his arms, so happy to see him as he lifts me off my feet and kisses my cheek."When did you get here?" I ask, pulling back to take a look at him. I laugh, seeing his beard coming back. He has new lines around his eyes and mouth, but his deep amber eyes, the same as Kel’s, are as bright as they’ve always been."You look happy, Sophia," he says, twirling me in a circle like he always does."Dad, you seriously have to shave!” I laugh through the words. He throws his head back and laughs, pulling me with him. He makes his way into the kitchen where Kel places three plates of mac and cheese on the table.“I’ll take it under advisement, pumpkin,” Dad winks at me.Turning to my sister, he says, “This is great, Kel. Thank you." I si