CHAPTER 8

SOPHIE

I woke up with a raging headache. What time was it? I leaned over to check my phone. Not there… Where was it… pieces of the night came back at supersonic speed. I touched my body. Naked. Stark raving naked. Yup. Not a fantasy. Way to go, Sophie. I’ll bet he’ll be calling real soon, you salope.

I picked my t-shirt and panties off the floor and put them on. I found my phone at the front door. He’d brought it back. What a sweetheart. I shuddered at the memory of his touch, soft and firm, gentle and assertive. Oh my god, I let him eat me. I slumped on the bench mortified. I was so needy. What had I given him in return? Blue balls, that’s all I could imagine. He gave up his night to babysit me and I thanked him by letting him bring me to bliss, then I sent him on his way.

Or did I? I didn’t remember telling him to leave. But I must have, otherwise, he’d be here. Wouldn’t he? Max lay down beside me and I rubbed his belly with my foot as I scrolled down the list of texts I’d missed last night… seven, eight, nine of them. All friends in the fire department.

I sighed and let the disappointment of having not gotten the chief job overtake me. I’d held it together all night with Nick. Now I could express how I really felt and...