Loving Him

Chapter 16

Sophie froze, astonished. Staring down at him, she stuttered, "W-what did you say?"

Beads of sweat were still plastered on his face, the only sign of what'd just happened to him as his voice was calm and steady when he replied her, "I asked you to stay."

She couldn't form a response as her mind went over the implication of what he was asking. Her face was red, maybe from anger or embarrassment or both. Just what kind of woman did he think she was?

Her thoughts must have been clear on her face as his eyes widened slightly and he shook his head quickly. "No, I didn't mean it that way."

Relief washed over her even as she tugged her hand from his. Thankfully, he let go.

"What did you mean then?" She asked, subconsciously rubbing her hand.

He was silent at first then he sighed, looking away from her. "Nothing. Ignore me, you can go."

She should have left. In that moment, she knew she should have turned around with her dignity still intact and hightailed it out of there. Instead, she found herself lowering herself down uncertainly on the edge of his bed.

His eyes followed her movement as she sat. "You don't have to, really. I was being absurd."

She raised her eyes to meet his steady gaze slowly. His face was guarded, careful not to reveal his thoughts yet she sensed vulnerability that she'd never before felt from him. "I know," she whispered back.

He looked away and moved to the other side of the bed, making space for her.

She didn't move. She kept staring at him, all the while questioning what she was doing.

"You're uncomfortable."

Yes. She shook her no.

His lips curled up slightly. "Your face says otherwise." He continued when she didn't say anything, voice low and almost a whisper, "I'm not going to jump you, Sophia."

Embarrassed that the thought had indeed crossed her mind, her cheeks clouded and she sputtered, "I-I'm not..."

"I mean it when I say you can go. I was an idiot for a moment." He was turning his back to her as he spoke, leaving her to make her choice. "Goodnight, Sophia."

"G'night," she whispered back. First, he asks her to stay then he pushes her away; Sophie doubted she'd ever meet anyone more complex. Still, she didn't leave. She shifted so she was fully seated on the bed, legs curled up. She decided she'd watch over him a bit before leaving.

Since his back was to her, she could stare freely at him without the risk of getting caught. She laughed silently at how almost stalkerish her actions that night were. I must really be going crazy, she thought. Nothing about the whole situation was funny. Sitting on a bed next to a man she was very much attracted to and watching him sleep at almost midnight was definitely not funny; it was anything but. Feelings that both scared and thrilled her bubbled to the surface so overwhelmingly she felt she was drowning in them. She was falling down a steep slope and she had no idea how she was going to land.

* * *
Alex stirred slowly, eyes opening. It took him a moment to awaken fully. The first thought that came to him was that he'd slept the whole night; something that rarely if ever happened. He was still in the same position he'd slept in the night before seeing as he rarely changed position when he slept. He turned around and his breath hitched at the sight in front of him.

Sophie was lying down facing him, blissfully asleep. She was curled up on her side, both hands under her left cheek as she slept. He hadn't heard her leave before he fell asleep but he'd figured she'd leave at some point.