Suddenly Single Sophie. Leonie Knight
in Will’s direction barely acknowledged his presence ‘… you both will come and at least have a drink with me and my friends.’
Andrew’s manner tripped a switch for Sophie and she felt nauseous. She couldn’t control the sudden churning in her gut as his roving eyes played havoc with her emotions. She wanted to tell him to back off, but she didn’t want to offend Will or his friend.
‘The party’s only just starting to warm up,’ he said with a grin.
She liked the man less with each word he uttered.
This stranger was a double of Jeremy, and she had a sudden compulsion to leave before the nagging nausea in her gut got any worse.
It was then he must have noticed Will’s protective gesture. Obviously not used to being rebuffed, Andrew leaned close, his breath smelling of seafood and alcohol.
Without thinking what she was doing, Sophie shrank away from Andrew and snuggled a little closer to Will. His body felt warm, strong, secure … and sexy. He made her feel safe, cared for, protected … in a way Jeremy never had.
Whoa … What on earth had come over her? He was her boss. They’d known each other barely a couple of hours and were merely acting out a charade of being more than colleagues.
She pulled away and stole a quick look at Will’s face and saw a twinkle of amusement in his eyes.
‘Sophie and I have other plans, haven’t we?’
He was rescuing her. It was as if he had read her mind and had decided to play the knight in shining armour.
‘I … er …’
‘Well, you are a dark horse, aren’t you, mate?’ Andrew winked and slapped Will on the back in a misguided gesture of friendship. He’d added his own interpretation to their show of intimacy.
Will also recoiled from the man, and his grip tightened on her hand in a subtle indication of new-found solidarity. Andrew prattled on, completely unaware of the undercurrents between the two of them.
‘I had no idea.’ Andrew’s attention firmly focused on Will, the look on his face bemused but curious. ‘How long have you two—?’
‘We met years back.’ Sophie interrupted, trying to think quickly and say something that wouldn’t exaggerate the untruths. ‘And Will has kindly offered me a job for a couple of months at a time when I need to get away from Sydney.’ She attempted a look, implying that was all the information she was prepared to give.
‘Ah. I see. Will’s playing the good Samaritan.’
Will’s free arm found its way onto Sophie’s shoulder and his facial expression turned into one of exaggerated concern. She was relieved when he finally spoke.
‘We appreciate the offer. Perhaps another time.’ He hesitated, sending Sophie a look. ‘So if we could just get the keys …?’
‘Okay, I’ll be five minutes,’ Andrew said as he loped off towards the house.
‘What was that all about? For a minute there I thought you were going to faint.’
Will dropped Sophie’s hand and stepped back from her, folding his arms across his chest. He looked as confused as she was. His tanned cheeks were flushed and the understanding in his eyes a moment ago had turned to bewilderment. She could already tell he was a man who liked his world to stay in a predictable orbit, but Sophie was as surprised as Will at her reaction to Andrew Fletcher.
‘It’s difficult to explain,’ she finally said.
‘I’d like you to try.’
‘It’s just …’
‘What?’
How could Sophie explain her reaction? Why she’d needed such a dramatic out from Andrew’s advances? He reminded her so much of Jeremy—charming, handsome, generous, rich, but not capable of fidelity—it was scary. In the end, Jeremy’s unfaithfulness had been their undoing.
When had he fallen out of love with her? The fact that he might never have loved her had left Sophie feeling totally gutted. She’d been used—put on display like an expensive accessory and then discarded when he’d become bored with her and traded in for a new model.
Andrew was cast in the same mould.
But all men weren’t animals … Not if her instinctive reaction to Will’s kindness was anything to go by. It made it even more difficult for her to explain her impulsive behaviour. She figured she had nothing to lose, though, by telling the truth.
‘He reminded me of my ex.’ She couldn’t help the grimace.
‘Oh.’ Will seemed uncomfortable with the direction the conversation was headed. Too much information? Too personal?
As Will dropped his arms to his sides Andrew walked through the French doors.
Grabbing Will’s hand again, Sophie said in a pleading voice, ‘Do you mind? He’s coming back.’
Will smiled, apparently with renewed understanding and what Sophie thought was a hint of empathy. ‘Just this once, but after we leave here—’
‘I know. I’m sorry. I owe you for this.’
Andrew returned at that moment, handed over the keys to Will and grinned.
‘I’ll let you two go off and get reacquainted, then.’
He waved them off, then added as his eyes did another quick but obvious head-to-toe appraisal of Sophie, ‘Remember I’m next door if you need anything.’
‘I’m sure she won’t,’ Will said brusquely as he put the keys in his pocket.
What on earth was it about Sophie Carmichael that had made him behave in a totally irrational manner? wondered Will.
They walked down the driveway of Andrew Fletcher’s house, Sophie’s hand still enfolded in Will’s protective grip. She offered no resistance and he was reluctant to release her cool, tense fingers. He knew he should. Sophie was probably thinking he was taking advantage of her vulnerability.
But it felt so natural, comfortable … and so sensual.
Oh, God.
What had happened to his well-ordered life?
Will had totally lost his bearings. His day had started out simply enough. Not surprisingly, he’d been tired. It had been a busy week and ‘tired’ seemed to be his default setting these days. The usual Saturday morning at the clinic, demanding work, but nothing he couldn’t handle, had been predictable.
It had been after morning surgery, when Sophie Carmichael had crunched, strode and then nudged herself into his life that his world had tilted on its axis.
In the space of a few short hours she’d roused the full spectrum of his emotions. He’d tumbled through frustration, amusement, impatience, confusion and … desire.
Desire? He’d almost forgotten it existed.
‘That went well,’ Sophie said as they reached the end of Andrew’s drive.
‘You think so?’
Will reluctantly released her hand and dragged his mind back from what was turning into a totally unachievable fantasy. Thank heaven she had no idea what he was thinking.
Sophie smiled. The comment was probably her way of saying how uncomfortable the encounter with Will’s colleague had been for both of them. Will already had an idea what made this fascinating woman tick. She was naturally intuitive, dangerously unpredictable, and seemed to act at times solely on impulse.
And he liked it, he grudgingly admitted.
She’d also shown good judgement in her reaction to his successful, good-looking colleague. Andrew normally had any pretty woman he set his charismatic sights on under his spell