Bewitching You (38 page)

“I live in this building. Do you remember when I told you I owned a place out here?”

“That’s right. I do remember. I, uh, went to your condo back home to invite you to the gallery opening, but you’d already moved.”

“I’m sorry, Sofia.” He skimmed a couple of fingers up her arm.

Her entire body warmed. Did he realize the effect he still had on her?

“I should’ve called to tell you. But after—” He shook his head. “Listen. None of that matters. Can you come upstairs with me so I can change, and we can continue talking?”

“Yes,” she mumbled.

“Yes?”

“I mean, no. I can’t right now. I’m running late for my first day.” Sofia wondered if she were visibly shaking or if it was all in her head. Her mind was racing with questions. What did he want from her? Was it pity or amusement in his eyes?

“What about later? I’ll make you dinner. I’ve been practicing.”

“You have?”

He nodded and handed her the new drink from off the counter. “Will you come over? It’s the fifth floor. Number 501. Around seven? Will that work?”

“I think so.”
I think so? Come on, Sofe. Get it together
. “Er. That’ll be fine. Number 501 at seven o’clock?”

“Yeah.” He brushed a kiss across her cheek. “Good luck on your first day. I’ll see you later.”

Her feet started moving before her mind did, and she was out the door before she let out a breath.
Shoot
. She hadn’t even said goodbye. But she couldn’t go back. She was late and she’d look like a dork rushing back in there. She’d just have to wait.

She headed across the busy street as a thought dawned on her, settling in her belly like a cement brick. Did he want her to come to dinner so he could be with her, or officially break it off?

What other reason could he have for disappearing and not calling?

Just get through the day, Sofe
.

~ * ~

The day couldn’t have gone better, Sofia thought as she pushed the number five button on the elevator wall. She’d made new friends. The classes were interesting and thought provoking. Steven Burns had offered her a job in the admissions office, so she didn’t have to take that barmaid position.

It was everything she could’ve hoped for and more. Her life was finally on the right path. But as she walked through the elevator doors and ascended floor after floor after floor, the nerves in her body launched an all-out attack on her stomach, making her wonder if she just might die. Or throw up.

Ding
. The doors opened, and right in front of her was the number 501 tacked onto a black paneled door. His door. He was right behind it, probably making her dinner.

Because he’d practiced.

Why? Did he want to be even more perfect before he dumped her? Before he told her, “It was fun while it lasted but…” Before her heart leaped up into her head and made an escape route out through her ears, because what heart would want to spend any more time in her pathetic, loveless, sexless body?

Get a grip, Sofe
. Maybe he got sick of eating burned eggs.

She stepped out into the hardwood hallway. A black and white checkered rug ran from one end to the other. All she needed was some red and black checkers and she’d have a very good reason not to ring that doorbell.

Her finger thought otherwise. It pushed the little gold button, sending a buzzing noise into the other side. She heard a man’s laugh and then the doorknob turned. A man, a stranger, held a beer bottle as he stood at the threshold.

Maybe this was her lucky day?

Sofia checked the apartment number again. “I’m sorry. I guess I have the wrong—”

“Are you Sofia?”

“Yes,” she said, her voice making it sound more like a question than an answer.

“Don’t worry. This is Gray’s place. I was just making sure he doesn’t burn down the building, especially since I live one floor below him.”

“Oh. Okay.”
Darn.

“Come in, Sofia,” Gray called. “I’m in the kitchen.”

The man gestured for her to enter, and she slipped by him. The layout of the loft looked like a mini version of his condo, except for the stairs that led up to a second story.

Gray stood at the island, opening a bottle of wine. He was clean-shaven but his hair still sat shaggy against his ears and forehead. Sofia liked the new carefree look, maybe a little too much.

Her gaze wandered down to the blue, thin knit sweater that emphasized his every muscle. Behind him, steam rose from a pot. A lemony aroma filled the air.

He set the corkscrew down and walked around to greet her, planting a kiss on her cheek.

High cheek, far away from the lips.

“I’m glad you came,” he said. “This is my friend, Nick. He was just leaving.”

Nick held out a hand for her to shake. “Yep, I’m leaving. Actually, Gray wanted me to leave an hour ago, but I wanted to meet the famous Sofia.”

Sofia shook his hand lightly, afraid her palm was clammy. She couldn’t recall when she’d ever been this nervous. Was there a spell that got rid of the urge to vomit?

No. No more spells for personal use. Look at the mess it had gotten her into already.

“Famous?” she asked, the word finally registering.

“Yeah.” Nick winked. “Gray was telling me about your adventures together.”

Gray patted his friend’s back, giving him a slight shove. “See you tomorrow, Nick.”

“Okay. Okay. I’ll take the not-so-subtle hint. You two have fun catching up.”

Nick left, leaving Sofia alone with Gray.

“I didn’t tell him the private details.” He cleared his throat. “Why don’t you sit while I check on our dinner?”

~ * ~

Gray poured her a glass of wine as she settled onto one of the barstools. She was damn sexy in her little flowered dress that curved at all the right places. When he’d kissed her cheek, he’d inhaled her scent, remembering the vanilla. Remembering everything. How could he forget?

He turned to dump the pasta into the colander.

Please, God, do not let me screw up the dinner
. Any part of it.

He poured the sauce in with the chicken, but her stare bore into him, penetrated through to his marrow. She was being too quiet, but what did he expect? He’d moved across the country without telling her. She probably thought he was an asshole.
Again
.

Hopefully, she’d believe his reasoning.

“So,” he began, without looking back, “how was your first day of school?”

“Good. It went well.” Her voice was unsteady.

He glanced her way and noticed her hands trembled against the wine glass. “I’m glad. This is all quite a coincidence, don’t you think? You and I meeting here?”

She nodded.

Gray took in a breath and got back to work, pouring the chicken, sauce, and pasta all into one bowl. The recipe said he should pair it with asparagus, but he hated asparagus. Broccoli would have to do. He scooped everything onto two separate plates. Nice plates he’d bought for this occasion.

“Do you like broccoli?” He turned to ask, and saw that her wine glass was empty.

“Yes. Everything smells great.” A forced grin spread across her glossed lips.

He poured her another glass. She was as nervous as he was, maybe even more with the way her face was flushed.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

She nodded again, pursing her mouth. What she must think of him. He could only imagine.

“I, uh…”
Tell her you love her. Tell her you never once stopped loving her
.

Not yet. The timing wasn’t right. She needed to see the bedroom first.

“I’ll take your plate to the table if you want to carry your wine.”

She agreed, and he followed her, setting a plate down in front of her and placing one at his place. He’d already set the table, so he poured himself a glass of wine and sat.

Everything was in place. Nothing had burned, and he hadn’t said anything too idiotic. Yet.

“Where are you staying?” Nice, safe topic.

She looked up from forking a noodle around. “I’m staying in a hotel room right now. I have a scholarship, but it doesn’t pay for housing, so I’m looking for a roommate who doesn’t charge too much.”

Gray had an extra room. But he didn’t want her sleeping in there. He wanted her sleeping with him. Just as they’d planned before any of this love spell crap happened.

“You can stay with me,” he offered.

“Here? But—”

Mozart starting ringing from her purse sitting at her feet.

“Sorry. It’s probably my mom.”

“Sure, no problem.”

She pulled out a glittery pink phone and answered. “Hello?”

The volume on her phone must have been turned to the max or her mother had an extremely loud voice, because he could hear every word. Gray figured it was the latter.

“Hi, Mom.” She held the phone away from her ear some. “I’m safe and everything is going well. Can I call you back?”

“You can spare a moment, can’t you? Your Nana’s here. We called to see how you did on your first day of school.”

“It was… Hold on.” She fiddled around with some buttons, but gave up. “It was good. It went really well.”

“Nana wants to know if—wait. I’ll put her on the phone. She’s driving me crazy with all these questions.”

“Sofia?” Her grandmother was even louder. Did they ever use the telephone?

“Hi, Nana.”

“Sofia, did that Steven guy ask you out on a date yet?”

“What?” Sofia’s cheeks flared red, and Gray’s heart stopped beating. “No, Nana. That’s not going to happen.”

Thank God
. The last thing Gray needed was competition.

“Nana, can I call you guys back later? I’m kind of busy right now.”

“Well, what’s so important? Are you on the toilet? Having sex? What?”

“No, I’m having dinner with Gray. I ran into him this morning. He lives out here.”

Silence.

“Nana?”

“Yes, dear. Call me back as soon as possible. I want to hear all about this.”

“Sorry,” Sofia said as she closed the phone. “I guess distance doesn’t stop me from having a nosy family.”

Mozart blared again. She checked the caller ID and simply powered it off.

“No problem. Who’s Steven?” He couldn’t help but ask.

“You heard all that, didn’t you? Dang it. Steven is the man who discovered my paintings and then helped me get into the school for next to nothing.”

“Sounds like a great guy.” Jealousy started in again.

“He is, but he’s not interested in me the way Nana thinks he is. I don’t have the heart to tell her he has a boyfriend.”

“He has a
boyfriend
?”

“Yes. I’ve had dinner at their house. They’re both very nice. And they have the most amazing art collection.” Her eyes softened, and she seemed to relax for the first time.

Gray smiled, hoping he’d get one back.

He did, but lost it when her gaze dropped down to her plate again.

She forked at a piece of broccoli. “Gray?”

“Yeah?” His pulse quickened as he waited for her next words.

“I’m sorry for everything that happened. My mom’s reading. The love spell. I want you to know I wasn’t behind any of it. And my mom has agreed to start being more honest with her clients. She was very upset by what had happened to Hayes. And Nana, well, she hasn’t agreed to anything, but she—”

Gray put up his hand to stop her, surprised she was apologizing to
him
. “It’s all in the past, Sofia. I’d rather look to the future.”