Yeah. He likes your money and everything your daddy can do for him. Aloud, Mason said, “I’m sure he finds you enchanting, Sophie.”
Her brown eyes turned soft and warm as she suddenly stepped forward and rested a hand on his forearm. The simple touch caused Mason’s heart to leap into high gear and even though they were standing in the middle of the corridor and a few steps away from her brother’s office, he wanted to take her into his arms and taste her lips.
“You’re so sweet, Mason. The woman you choose for your Valentine’s date is going to be very lucky.”
He breathed in deeply, then wished he hadn’t as her sweet scent filled his head. He’d be smelling her for the rest of the day and into the night. “Thank you, Sophie. And I hope you enjoy your date tomorrow night.”
“I do, too.” Smiling cheerfully, she turned and entered her brother’s office. “Wish me luck!” she called over her shoulder.
The only thing Mason wished was for the blinders to fall off Sophie’s eyes, so that she’d look right past Thom…and straight at him.
“How about wishing you happiness?” he suggested.
“That’s even better!”
With a little wave she disappeared behind the glass door, leaving Mason standing there trying to gather his thoughts.
It was already the fourth day of the month. That meant Mason only had ten days left to turn Sophie’s head. So far Thom appeared to have missed the mark in the romance department; otherwise, she would’ve been waltzing around Robinson Tech on a dreamy cloud these past couple of days. Mason could only pray her date with Thom tomorrow night was a complete flop.
*
This was supposed to be a blast?
For the past hour and a half Sophie had been asking herself that very question while hundreds of spectators around her screamed and clapped and yelled things like: Break his arms! Kick him! Finish him off! And to make matters worse, Thom was one of the loudest.
As though the deafening roar of the rowdy crowd and the sight of men and women wrestlers trying to break their opponent’s bones wasn’t enough to deal with, a fanatical female fan seated behind Sophie had lurched forward and spilled a glass of cold beer down her back. The woman had been very apologetic and had tried to help Sophie sop up the mess with a handful of tissues, but the effort had done little.
Sophie had never been so relieved in her life when the wild event finally ended and she and Thom headed across the jammed parking lot to his car.
“Oh, man, that was the greatest! When Rocco tore off Meteor’s mask I thought the arena was going to erupt!”
“It did,” Sophie said flatly. “I’m still wet.”
Grinning, Thom reached over and curled his arm around her shoulders. “Sophie, honey, I’m so proud of you for the way you handled that little accident. No cursing or catfight. Just first-class all the way.”
Had he honestly dated women who’d resorted to that, she wondered. Oh, God, this just wasn’t working. Thom was turning out to be nothing like she’d expected.
“You know, you’re the first girl I’ve found that actually likes the things I do. That’s why I asked you out again. We seem to click. Don’t you think?”
Sophie had felt a click, all right. Like a light switch being flipped to the off position.
“So what do you do when your dates have different interests than you?”
“Oh, that’s it for me. I drop them. I mean, why waste precious time and effort on something that isn’t going to work?”
Why indeed, Sophie thought, but kept the retort to herself. The guy was clueless, not to mention self-absorbed. “So you never think about doing something the woman enjoys?”
“Not really. If I have to make myself miserable just to make her happy, then things aren’t going to work anyway. It’s just like the My Perfect Match app that Wes and Vivian promoted last Valentine’s Day. A man and woman have to like the same things to make a relationship last.”
She wanted to remind Thom that her brother and Vivian had learned a crucial lesson while they promoted the dating app. They both discovered that it took passion, respect, sacrifice and genuine love to hold a couple together. Did Thom ever think in those serious terms, or was he all about making himself happy? At this very moment she had the sinking feeling that Thom was all about Thom.
“But we don’t have to worry about that,” Thom followed up on Sophie’s silence. “Looks like we enjoy the very same things. Lucky, huh?”
Luck had nothing to do with it. Sophie had put her flirt on and made it obvious to Thom that she was interested in him. Luck hadn’t made her join the endless numbers of women at Robinson Tech who gazed at this man from afar and fell under the spell of his good looks and flashy smile.
She’d heard through the office grapevine that he’d gone through several girlfriends. Yet Sophie hadn’t allowed the talk to scare her off her mission. After all, gossip was rarely accurate, she’d reasoned. But now, she was beginning to think the talk about Thom sifting through a stack of women might be true.
“Yes,” she finally forced herself to say. “It’s fortunate when two people click.”
His arm squeezed her shoulders and drew her closer to his side. Two weeks ago when Thom was only her dream man, the gesture would have sent her flying to the moon. Now, she actually wanted to put some distance between them. Like ten or fifteen miles for starters.
Oh, God, how had her thinking gotten so messed up? What was she doing with this narcissistic man?
“After all the food I consumed during the match, I couldn’t eat another bite. But I’ll take you by a burger place or something if you’re hungry.”
How thoughtful that he’d go to so much trouble for her, Sophie thought wryly. During the wild event, Thom had eaten two hotdogs and a giant serving of nachos. She’d sipped on a diet soda. Along the way, she’d lost her appetite for him and any kind of food.
“Oh, no. I couldn’t eat a bite,” she swiftly declined, then added, “Actually, after all that excitement, I think I’m ready to go home. Monday mornings are always rough in my department. I’d like to get plenty of rest tonight.”
For a moment, her suggestion to end the evening appeared to have taken him aback, but then he smiled and gestured toward his car which now was only a short distance away.
“Sure. I need to run an errand before I go home anyway.”
To buy another mirror so you can sit around and admire yourself, Sophie wanted to ask. Then quickly shamed herself. What was the matter with her anyway? This was only her second date with Thom. She was simply annoyed because she’d had to sit through more than two hours of a raucous sporting event, instead of being treated to a quiet romantic evening with just the two of them.
The drive to the Robinson estate took nearly twenty minutes and most of that had passed without much conversation. Not that talking would have meant that much to him anyway. As soon as Thom had helped her into the car and started the engine, he’d tuned the radio to a satellite sports station and cranked up the volume. By the time he pulled up in front of the house, Sophie had heard all she’d wanted to hear about multimillion-dollar athletes and their legal troubles.
As soon as he cut the engine, Sophie grabbed her shoulder bag and reached for the door handle. “Thanks for the evening, Thom. It was…nice.”
Shifting toward her, he said, “It’s still rather early, Sophie. Are you sure you wouldn’t like to invite me in for a cup of coffee or something?”
She noticed his deep voice had taken on a purring sound that should have caused goosebumps to rush over her skin. Any normal red-blooded woman would be leaning toward him, inviting him to kiss her. Instead, she wanted to stick her head out the window and gulp in several breaths of clean air.
Moments of silence passed as she floundered for some sort of excuse, then finally she said, “Tonight really isn’t a good night. My mother—”
“I’d love to meet your mother,” he quickly countered before she had a chance to finish. “With a daughter like yo
u, she’d have to be a very lovely woman.”
“That’s nice of you, Thom.”
Grinning, he leaned closer until his face was only inches from hers. “I know when I’m looking at a good thing.”
If that was supposed to be a compliment, she wasn’t impressed. “Well, my mother goes to bed early. She wouldn’t appreciate us waking her at this late hour.”
“Hmm. I’m sure with a house this size, we could find a spot far away from her room. She’d never even know we were around.”
“I don’t—”
Before she could finish, he’d planted his lips over hers and Sophie had little choice but to respond with as much fervor as she could muster. But the intimate contact left her as cold as the temperature outside the car and she had to force herself to go through the motions.
She must be frigid! The frantic thought raced through her mind as Thom finally eased away from her and rested his hands on the steering wheel. How could she kiss this man and feel nothing? Except the need to escape. Oh, Lord, if Olivia ever learned of this, she’d be gloating. She’d never quit saying I told you so.
The desperate thought had Sophie impulsively reaching for his hand as she tried to salvage what little was left of their evening. This had to be her fault. She wasn’t trying enough. There had to be a sexy part of her just waiting to burst into flames. She had to find it and fast or Thom was going to lose all interest.
“Thank you for tonight, Thom.”
“Are you sure you really want me to leave?” He squeezed her hand and urged her ever so slightly toward him. “I could still use a drink.”
“Next time, I promise. I’ll see you tomorrow at work,” she said in a rushed voice. “Good night.”
Before he had the chance to make any more moves, she practically leaped from the car and without a backward glance, hurried straight to the house.
By the time she was standing inside the foyer, she heard Thom’s sports car drive away. The sound left her with a feeling of immense relief, coupled with a sense of utter disappointment. A few days ago, she’d been dreaming all sorts of beautiful images of Thom taking her into his arms and kissing her until she was drunk with desire. She’d pictured him sliding an engagement ring on her finger. A ring she could flash to her family and friends to give them proof that she was wanted by one of the most eligible bachelors in Austin. Winning Thom would be proof she was worthy of a man’s love.
Had she been totally wrong about him? Even about herself?
Tears suddenly burned the backs of her eyes and as she closed the lids and waited for the sting to subside, Mason’s face suddenly appeared in her mind.
Mason seemed to understand all the things Sophie was thinking, feeling, even hoping. She had no doubt that if he was standing in front of her now, she could rest her cheek against his chest and he would do everything in his power to comfort her.
Mason. Was he the reason she couldn’t feel anything when Thom touched her? Had Mason gotten into her subconscious and started controlling her thoughts? Or had she unwittingly invited him to walk straight into her heart?
Either way, she had to get a grip on herself and her mixed emotions. Otherwise, her plans for her future with Thom were going to evaporate long before Valentine’s Day ever arrived.
With a heavy sigh, she walked through the quiet house. Apparently her father was out of town again or buried in his study, strategizing on making his next million. The thought had her glancing in the direction of her mother’s bedroom.
A lonely strip of light told Sophie her mother had already retired to her private sanctuary to read or watch TV. She wouldn’t be pillowing her cheek on her husband’s shoulder or cuddling close to the warmth of his body. There would be no good-night kiss or talk of a tomorrow together.
The sad realization was not a new one for Sophie, but tonight it struck her even more deeply. She’d never thought she’d inherited her mother’s traits. Everyone said she had the fighting spirit of her father. But after tonight and that tepid kiss with Thom, she could only wonder if she was going to end up like her mother. Too cold to let herself really love anyone.
Chapter Six
The next morning, as soon as Sophie walked into the HR department, Dennis met her with a new project, one that would keep her busy for the next few weeks. Which was just fine with her. She needed something to take her mind off the disappointment she was feeling over her lack of chemistry with Thom.
A few minutes ago, Olivia had stopped by her desk on the pretense of asking questions about the new training program, but Sophie knew her sister really wanted to know about her date last night. It had taken all of Sophie’s willpower not to break down and admit to Olivia that she feared she’d made a mistake in going after Thom. But the memory of her sister’s know-it-all prediction of failure had given Sophie the strength to keep her real feelings to herself. No doubt Olivia would gloat in the future. But for now, Sophie wasn’t ready to throw in the towel. Who knew? Thom’s behavior might get better. Or Sophie might find some way to melt the frigid ice inside her.
“Break time, Sophie. Better make the most of it before Dennis throws another stack of work on your desk.”
Sophie looked up to see Faye, a middle-aged woman who worked in a nearby cubicle. Married with four children, Faye always had a cheerful smile, no matter what was going on at work or home, and Sophie admired her for being such a positive person.
“Oh, I hadn’t noticed the time. A cup of coffee would be nice. If I can unglue myself from this chair.”
Chuckling, Faye walked on toward the exit. “I’ll try not to drain the pot dry before you get there.”
After putting her computer into safe mode, Sophie made her way to the nearest ladies’ room. As she walked, she noticed the bright winter sun streaming through the windows at the far end of the corridor and the sight lifted her otherwise dreary spirits. The day was beautiful. She was determined to forget about her problems and enjoy every second of it.
Inside the ladies’ room, she smiled a greeting to some coworkers before making her way to a vacant stall.
Moments later, she was adjusting her clothing and hoping the last of the pastries hadn’t been taken from the break room, when she suddenly caught the sound of women’s voices beyond the stall door. Although they were speaking in hushed tones, she could hear them clearly.
“Who does she think she is, anyway? Princess Sophie Fortune Robinson?” one woman said in a sarcastic tone.
Another female voice replied, “I don’t know, but I can tell you one thing for sure. The only reason Thom Nichols would ever give her a second look is because of her daddy. Everyone knows Thom wants to move into an executive office. What easier way to do it than date the boss’s daughter?”
They were talking about her! But why? She’d never used her family position to climb over any Robinson Tech employee. She always tried to be kind and helpful to everyone. And what they were saying about Thom… “Exactly,” the first woman added. “I mean, she’s really not very pretty. And those clothes she wears—”
The woman followed up with a groan and Sophie glanced down at the skirt and blouse she’d dressed in this morning. She’d thought the shirred purple skirt was chic, along with the pale pink blouse tucked in at the waist.
“Well, her clothes obviously cost a fortune, but someone ought to tell her how to wear them,” the second woman replied.
“She’s a spoiled daddy’s girl. That’s the only reason Sophie got her job and everyone in this company knows it. You’d think Thom would have better taste.”
“Hah. Money always makes up for beauty and class.”
And both of you have neither, Sophie wanted to shout at the women.
Blinking back tears, she waited in the stall until she was certain the two women had left before she finally found the courage to emerge. As she washed her hands and dried her eyes, she told herself there would always be women who hated her simply for who she was. And yet their words had cut deep.
Was Thom dating he
r just because of her father? Just because he had his eye on an executive position?
Fighting back tears, but quickly losing the battle, she rushed from the ladies’ room and headed back to her desk. No way could she go to the break room now. Everyone, including those two nasty mouthed women, would see her tears and the gossip would start all over again. Only this time they’d be laughing behind her back.
Quickly striding down the corridor, she kept her head down and tried to wipe away the tears that continued to stream down her cheeks.
“Sophie!”
Suddenly two male hands caught her shoulders and she looked up through a watery wall to see she’d very nearly run smack into Mason.
“Oh, Mason!” His name came out with a mixture of anguish and relief, and before she realized what she was doing, she grabbed the front of his shirt with both hands. “I’m so glad it’s you.”
“Sophie, what’s wrong? Something has upset you.”
She blinked and did her best to smile. Not for anything could she repeat what she’d heard in the ladies’ room to this man.
“I—I’m just having a bit of a rough morning. I’ll be okay.”
*
Sophie was crying! The sight of her tears shook Mason far more than he would’ve ever expected and before he could think about what he was doing, he slipped his arm around her shoulders and urged her toward a nearby alcove where a pair of dark green couches was flanked by tall fig trees and surrounded by a row of arched windows.
“Come with me and let’s sit for a minute,” he told her. “You can’t return to your desk in this shape.”
He helped her onto one of the couches, then took a seat next to her. She promptly produced a tissue from a tiny pocket on her skirt and dabbed her cheeks. Even though her brown eyes were red and watery they were still the most beautiful eyes he’d ever gazed into, Mason decided.
“I’m so sorry that you’re seeing me like this, Mason. This isn’t me. I can’t even remember the last time I got weepy.”
Now that Mason thought about it, he couldn’t remember a time he’d seen Sophie without a dazzling smile on her face. She was always happy and upbeat. So what had caused all the tears, he wondered. Thom?
Her Sweetest Fortune Page 7
