Chapter 5

"It's alright Ms. It's actually my fault for coming to the door without proper clothing, I just returned from the shower. Please come in and make yourself comfortable while I go put on something better." The young handsome man said after noticing her discomfort. 

Sophia simply nods at his words and didn't bother looking back at him. He hurriedly goes in to get dressed whilst she lets herself in after noticing his absence.

She felt impressed with his decor as she kept feeding her eyes on them where she sat. He had beautiful art paintings hung on the wall and scented flowers bringing life to the sitting room. She noticed he didn't have much furniture so she sensed he was a bachelor. Regardless, his sense of taste appealed to her.

He shows up much later, fully clothe now. "I'm sorry, I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long Ms..." He stressed the last word, waiting for a response.

"Sophia, Sophia Dalton." She completed his sentence, smiling at him.

"Would you like a glass of water to drink or juice?" He asked, his hands in the back pocket of his jeans.

"No thank you, I'm fine. Actually, I stay across the street with my mum and she asked that I come give you this." She said, stretching out the jar of cookies in her hand to him.

He walks towards her from where he stood afar off to receive the jar. "She says it's a house warming gift since you just moved in." 

"Thank you and your mom too. Sorry I don't have anything to give you in return but thanks I truly appreciate this." He said, with a broad smile lighting up his face.

"It's alright. Forgive my intrusion but I see you have a lot of art paintings on your wall. They're beautiful by the way. Did you paint these yourself?" She asked, pointing at them.

"Uh (he scratched the back of his head), no I did not. I knew someone who paints and they let me keep these. They were going to dispose them anyway." He explained

She nods her head, feeding her eyes once more at the paintings before getting on her feet. "I best be going, I see you still have some unpacking to do and wouldn't want to keep you any longer with long talks." She said, looking towards the direction of the unboxed boxes by the side.

Her words were easy to read and a short laugh escapes his lips. "I guess I'll see you around then. Thanks again for the gift." He said to her.

"You're welcome." She walks to the door and was about to leave when he calls out to her.

"Ms Dalton, please give these to your mother for me. I couldn't have you leave without giving you anything in return."

Sophia was stunned at his gesture. He held a bouquet of flowers in his hand and they were very beautiful. She wondered why he had them lying around in his house and felt suspicious about it. As though he could read her mind, he quickly broke through her thoughts.

"I own a flower shop. So I collect these from there. I was actually going to give these to a client who ordered for them but they cancelled at the last minute, that's why I'd rather you have them." He said with a sweet smile, clearing her mind off any form of suspicion.

"Thank you. They're very beautiful, I'm sure she'll love these. But I didn't get your name yet." She said, receiving the bouquet from him.

"Oh my bad. I'm Jethro Gibbs" 

"Well nice to meet you Mr Gibbs. I'll go now." She smiled and walks away, sniffing on the bouquet.

Luisa who had been keeping an eye on them from behind the curtain of their apartment, quickly leaves the spot to where Ann was on the floor, playing with her toys. The door fell open revealing Sophia beaming with smiles.

"Someone looks smitten." Luisa teased, giving her a cocky stare.

"Smitten? Who?" Sophia asked, feigning ignorance. Luisa pokes her lips at her, hinting that she was being referred to but Sophia rolls her eyes at her and tuts her lips playfully.

"Here, he asked me to give you these and also thank you for the cookies." Sophia said, handing out the bouquet to her before falling on the cushion.

Luisa felt thrilled with the flowers and her eyes lit up happily. "Peaches, my favourite flower piece. He's such a gentleman, isn't he?" Luisa said, rubbing her hands over the petals.

Sophia ignored her question and simply reached for her phone from her pocket to surf the internet.

"Tell me, what's he like? He's very handsome isn't he?" Luisa asked, feeling giddy.

Sophia wasn't interested in having the conversation and simply replied "he's okay, I guess." 

"Just okay? Don't tell me you didn't find him good looking enough." 

Sophia's mind flashed back to some minutes ago when she had seen him with the towel. She recalls his blue eyes that popped out in surprise, perfectly fitting his oblong face and the drops of water that flowed from his broad masculine chest down his waist. He seemed to work out alot. 

Her mind didn't leave out the fact that she had noticed his groin bulge as he had the towel wrapped around the lower part of his waist. 

"Sophia!" She heard her mother call, interrupting her trance.

"Did something happen? I seem to have lost you there for a minute. And you still haven't told me what you think about him." Luisa's eyes peered at her, waiting for some juicy gossip.

"I said he looked okay mom, though he does have pretty blue eyes and..." She paused, feeling like her mother had succeeded in charming her or something into wanting to fantasize about him. Something she wasn't interested in.

"Anyways, anyone can have pretty blue eyes. He's no big deal and just to be clear mom, I know what your game is and I'm not interested in being a part in it." She said, rising to her feet and she walks away.

"She noticed his pretty blue eyes, that's got to mean something." Luisa smiled to herself, feeling a tinge of triumph.

>>>>

"I still can't wrap my head around what you asked me to come get. You should've come here yourself, why did you have to send me over? I'm definitely not comfortable with the stares I'm getting over here Vida." Matt whined over the phone as he walked down the female department at the supermarket.

"Stop whining. You should be happy I'm even letting you do this for me, besides it's not like I wouldn't have gone myself if I could. You'll get married some day so see this as an opportunity to practice buying stuff for your wife and hurry up before I bleed all over the place." 

"Hey! Did you really have to say that? God! Now I have to carry a picture of that in my head." He replied, a slight shiver rushed down his spine 

"Whatever. Don't forget to make sure you buy the sanitary wears in maxi size and the underwear in medium. And please, hurry." She said and drops the call before he could speak further.

"The price I have to pay for having a sister. How come she didn't shop for these herself before it went out of hand?" He groaned.

He placed his hand on his waist and takes another look at the entire store before he reluctantly begins his shopping.

"What size did she ask that I get for her again? I don't even know what product she'd like. God! This is so frustrating." He lamented, staring at the different sanitary wear products on display.

He reached for one off the shelf and read through the inscriptions on it. Not satisfied with his choice, he attempts to put it back when another pack fell from the shelf to the floor.

He quickly bends to pick it up but noticed a female presence from the pair of shoes standing before him. "You dropped this sir." The lady spoke.

"Yes I did, thank you" he said, standing up to receive the pack. 

"It's you.... Sophia exclaims in surprise seeing the familiar stranger standing before her.

"Huh?" He replied, not quiet sure what she meant.

He turned back to look behind him, his thoughts were, she was probably referring to someone else. But she taps him gently on the shoulder, drawing his attention to her. 

"Excuse me mister but you look awfully familiar." 

"Yeah, I get that alot but I doubt I'm the person you're mistaking me for." He said, and turns away to continue shopping.

"It's funny you don't remember me though. I was soaking wet in the rain when you offered me a ride some days back." She said, trying to jog his memory.

Matt looked thoughtful for a second and then snaps his finger before nodding his head. "I remember now. You're the lady who kept apologising for ruining my car seat even when I said it was alright." He teased.

"Yes, I'm that lady." She replied shyly and they smile briefly at each other.

"It's crazy bumping into you here but first off, I'd like you to know that I'm so grateful for your help the other day and I hope your car seat's fine." She said.

"It actually took a lot of work to have it dried out you know." He teased.

"Oh!" Sophia felt embarrassed and shyly rubbed on her arm.

"Hey, no need to feel embarrassed. I was only teasing and I'm glad I could help. It was my pleasure." He bowed playfully.

Sophia laughed at his funny display and he smiled back.