Chapter 3
Sophia
S ophia grimaced when Darcy squealed. “It really wasn’t that big of a deal.”
“Not a big deal? Not a big deal ? You kissed him.”
“And you’re too much of a hopeless romantic.” Sophia laughed despite herself.
Darcy pushed off her bed. “And you’re going out with him again tonight before we leave tomorrow. I can’t believe it. Tell me you got his number.”
Sophia shook her head even as a blush rose on her cheeks.
Whether she wanted to admit it or not, that kiss had been a big deal.
She only ever gave the men she went on dates with hugs—at least after Brent had broken her heart.
The fact that she’d kissed him said more than she wanted to admit right now.
“I told him that I’d give him my number if tonight’s date went well. ”
“Do you know where he lives, at least?”
She shook her head again. “But who knows? I’ve never done long distance before.” Her stomach swirled even as the pains from her past attempted to sour the fluttering warm feeling when she thought about Cameron.
Darcy squealed again. “This is so exciting. I can’t believe it.”
“Me neither,” she mused, moving to the edge of her bed. “Am I crazy? I feel a little crazy.”
Her friend shook her head. “Nope. This is special. I can feel it. That guy has been chasing you down since the moment he saw you.”
Sophia chewed on her thumbnail and frowned. “I guess so. But it’s not like he doesn’t have a horde of girls trying to get his attention. I’ve seen them. And he smiles at them just like he smiles at me.” Her second-guessing was coming back to bite her in the butt.
“Don’t do that,” Darcy warned.
She turned her focus to her friend. “Don’t do what?”
“Don’t brush off what’s happening between the two of you. He doesn’t smile at anyone the same way he smiles at you. And when you’re dancing with other guys… I’ve seen the way he watches them—like he wants to shoot them with laser eyes or something.”
Sophia snickered. “The feeling is mutual.”
“Yeah,” Darcy sighed. “I noticed that, too. You guys clearly want each other. You might as well run off to Vegas before you go home.”
Sophia gasped and threw her pillow at Darcy. It whomped her in the face before dropping to the floor.
“Hey!” Darcy squawked. “Now, you’ve done it!”
For the next ten minutes, the sorriest excuse for a pillow fight commenced. By the end of it, they were both breathing hard and laughing. Sophia rolled over onto her side and peered at her friend. “Do you really think we could make it work?”
Darcy rolled over to face Sophia with a tired smile. “Yeah, I do. He’s crazy about you.”
Sophia fought the fear and anxiety that threatened to overcome her.
If she were honest with herself, she’d have to admit that Cameron hadn’t actually danced with anyone on all the nights they’d managed to meet up at the same place.
Girls had flirted with him, but he hadn’t danced with them.
Maybe Darcy was right. Not every guy was like Brent.
Not every guy invited the touch of another woman he wasn’t currently dating.
“You look hot ! Cameron isn’t going to know what to do with himself.”
Sophia pulled her friend into a tight embrace and laughed.
For the first time in a couple years, she was actually excited about going on a date.
She’d only ever allowed herself one date with any guy after Brent.
One date so she could get her social fix.
But with Cameron? Something told her she’d finally reached a turning point.
She was ready to open her heart to someone new.
It felt like they were already something special.
She pulled back, her heart fluttering wildly as she grinned at her friend. She wouldn’t go so far as to say they were officially dating, but there was a little voice in her heart that was telling her to just take that leap.
“Do you know what you’re doing tonight?”
Sophia shook her head. “No. But I think we might be going dancing. That seems to be the best way we connect.”
Darcy nodded. “The chemistry you guys have on the dance floor is out of this world.”
Sophia glanced down at her watch. He wasn’t going to be picking her up for another ten minutes, but with how antsy she was becoming, it was only a matter of time before she took off and bailed on him just to save herself from another heartache.
Her nerves were getting the better of her, and the only person who would be able to help her was one floor down.
“I think I’m going to surprise him and show up a little early. ”
“Go get it, girl,” Darcy encouraged, shoving Sophia toward the door. “And don’t forget to get his number.”
Sophia smirked. “I won’t.”
She headed for the elevator and then pressed the button for the third floor. When the doors opened, she wandered down, watching the numbers increase. It looked like she’d have to turn the corner before she got to his hallway.
Rubbing her clammy hands against her legs, she willed her heart to slow down. She could do this. It was only the start of something. She didn’t have to plan her entire future with this guy.
Even as that thought occurred to her, she already knew she was in too deep.
Cameron was the first guy in years who had gotten past her defenses and made her feel like she was worth something.
He’d been persistent, and there was just something indescribable about the way that made her feel.
That was probably why it was so easy for her to get jealous.
She knew what she’d be losing if he lost interest in her.
She turned the corner and stopped short. Her heart jumped into her throat as she caught sight of Cameron.
He wasn’t alone.
And she was kissing him.
Sophia’s hands balled into fists, and her whole body felt like it was vibrating with jealous, heartbreaking energy as she ducked back down the hallway at her back.
The pain that shot through her chest was excruciating.
How could she feel this hurt when she’d only known him for a week?
They weren’t even exclusive, and it felt like he’d ripped her heart from her chest and stomped on it.
Her breaths came out in sharp spurts. She should march right up to him and slap that pretty face. How dare he hurt her this way? He’d worked so hard to convince her to go out with him when he was seeing someone else, too. How many girls was he chasing?
She was going to be sick.
Her hands clutched at her midsection as she gulped in deep breaths.
Then the fury overtook her pain, and she stormed toward the elevator.
She didn’t need this drama. She didn’t need a man in her life.
Brent had taught her that men couldn’t be trusted, and Cameron’s actions had put the nail so deep into the coffin there was no getting it loose.
And Darcy was right. Sophia looked hot tonight. She wasn’t going to just go back to the hotel room. She’d go find somewhere nice to sit to enjoy the evening and some good food.
Not even ten minutes after she arrived at the fancy restaurant did her phone start vibrating. When she pulled it out, Darcy’s number showed on the caller ID.
Sophia frowned. She hadn’t told Darcy what had happened. The girl was too much of a romantic. It would break her heart, too. If Sophia answered the phone, she’d lose it. Her emotions were running hot, and she couldn’t guarantee that she wouldn’t cry on the spot.
She shook her head and shoved her phone into her back pocket.
“Everything good?”
She looked up into the deep brown eyes of a guy who was only about six inches taller than she was. He was handsome enough, but he didn’t make her feel like Cameron did. Sophia smiled and swallowed hard. “Just peachy.”
He jerked his chin toward the dance floor where people were slow dancing. “Wanna dance?”
“Love to.” She moved with him toward the dance floor. He wasn’t the first guy who asked her, and he wouldn’t be the last. She’d spend the rest of the night doing her best to forget the guy who had managed to steal a piece of her heart that, up until tonight, hadn’t been damaged beyond repair.
About an hour later, she felt his presence.
She didn’t know what it was about him that spoke to her soul, but the instant he stepped into the venue, the hair on her arms lifted and her heart stumbled.
It was as if the universe was playing a cruel joke on her—pushing the two of them together when she didn’t have anything left to give him.
She fought the urge to look in his direction. She wouldn’t give him the chance to see just how much he’d hurt her. But somehow her eyes betrayed her, and they looked directly at him.
He stood several yards from where she danced with some guy. She wasn’t going to waste her time learning their names. They were all the same. But they could make her forget the pain she felt for long enough to keep her distracted.
Cameron looked mad.
More than mad, he was furious. His hands were balled into fists, and his stance told everyone to steer clear.
It was probably the reason no girls were approaching him.
He was too far away for her to see much more than that, so she glared right back and returned her focus to the guy who had her crushed up against his chest.
She could feel his eyes locked onto her no matter how much small talk she attempted to make with the guy she clung to. Part of her wanted Cameron to hurt just like she was, while the other part of her reveled in the knowledge that he was probably just jealous that she was here with someone else.
A blur came out of nowhere, and the guy she was dancing with was pushed off her. When her eyes focused on the reason, she gasped. “Cameron!”
He whirled on her after telling the guy to beat it. “What are you doing, Red?” he demanded.
She folded her arms. “That’s not my name.”
Cameron stepped into her space. “So, tell me what it is,” he snarled with exasperation.
“No.”
His brows shot up. “Seriously?” He huffed out an angry laugh and pinched the bridge of his nose. “So you finally agree to go out with me, then ditch me. Was this all a game?”
“You tell me,” she snapped.
“What is that supposed to mean?” he demanded.
Before she could respond, a deep voice spoke behind her. “Is there a problem here?”
“No—”
“Yes, actually, there is.” She turned to find a guy with dark hair and dark eyes. He was cute enough and almost as tall as Cameron. They were eyeing each other like they were ready to start the next big war. She put on her best flirtatious smile. “Can we get out of here?”
“ Red —”
She didn’t bother looking at him as she reached out and touched the stranger’s upper arm with a trace of her finger. “I could really go for some ice cream. What do you say?”
He smiled down at her and draped his arm around her shoulder, then led her away from Cameron and the wreckage he’d been responsible for.