A shiver of anticipation ran through her. What should she wear tonight? Would Lucas expect her to jump into bed right away? It sounded like he wanted more. But what was more? Could she even give more of herself? What would it be like to date someone like him?
It was a good thing her phone ringing interrupted her thoughts or she would have spiraled down into her own thoughts. The number flashing on the screen was unfamiliar.
“Selinofoto,” she answered briskly.
“It’s me.”
“Oh. Hey, Lucas.”
“Sofia.” There was a long pause, but the tension in the silence that spanned across them was obvious. “I’m sorry, I can’t make it tonight.”
She tried to hide her disappointment. “Right. I mean, that’s all right.”
“Sofia, I …” He let out a frustrated sound. “It’s not what you think. I’ve got a crisis on my hands. A family crisis.”
The panic in his voice erased her doubts. “Crisis? What’s wrong?”
“It’s my sister. She’s in a lot of trouble.” The anger in his tone was barely contained. “My parents are doing what they can, but I have to stay home and hold the fort, so to speak. I hate to cancel our date.”
“It’s okay,” she soothed. She wished she was there beside him right now. “We can re-schedule. Is there anything I can do?”
“No, we can handle it. But, are you sure this is okay?”
“It’s fine,” she assured him. “Take care of your family.” God knows, if it was Dad or Pappoús, she would have dropped their date too. “But promise you’ll tell me right away when things settle down.” She’d never heard him sound so alarmed before.
“I will, Sofia. Thank you.”
“No problem.”
The click from the other end told her he had hung up. What could possibly have gotten him shaken? It sounded like a life or death situation, but if that were true, surely the Andersons would get the authorities involved?
With a deep sigh, she turned her attention back to her notes. Looks like she was having a date tonight with General Tso and his friends, egg rolls, and fried rice.
Sofia woke up with a start as she straightened up from her sleeping position. Glancing around her, she realized she had fallen asleep on the couch, surrounded by her notes and leftover Chinese food. A crick had developed in her neck because of her lumpy cushions, but that wasn’t what woke her up. It was the sound of knocking on the door.
“Hold your horses!” She scrambled to her feet, trying to put some semblance of order to her hair. The knocking was so insistent and she was still half-asleep that she didn’t check the peephole, though she at least had the sense to keep the door chain in place. “What the hell—Lucas?”
She quickly slammed the door closed and removed the chain before flinging it open. “Lucas? What are you—” She checked her watch. “It’s five o’clock in the morning.”
“I know. But you said you wanted to know right away when things settled down.” His voice was raspy, and from the rumpled suit he wore and the dark circles under his eyes, it was obvious he’d hadn’t been home or had any sleep. “Can I come in?”
She moved aside. “Of course. Have a seat.” Then, she cursed silently when she realized what a mess her living room was. “Oops,” she swooped in and grabbed the half-empty boxes of takeout. “I’ll be right back.” Running to the kitchen, she deposited the boxes in the garbage. When she came back to the living room, he was seated on the couch, one of her notepads in his hand.
She snatched the pad from him. “Confidential police business,” she bristled.
“I’m sorry,” he said, looking up at her with those incredible eyes of his. He looked exhausted. “I sat down and it was under me.”
“No worries.” She put the pad aside, discreetly closing the pages and shoving it under a bunch of magazines. “Now, is everything okay? With your sister?” Moving closer, she placed a hand over his. “What happened?”
His shoulders sank and he let out a long breath. “Adrianna was attacked.”
She tensed and he lifted her hand to his cheek, the day-old growth of rough bristles rubbing on her skin. “I’m sorry. Is she all right? Did you call the police?”
“She’s fine. She wasn’t hurt or anything, but she was threatened in her own home in Jersey. My mother and my other sister were there with her, but these men … let’s just say they’ve been causing trouble in the area and when my mom tried to put a stop to it, they retaliated.”
“Was it some kind of gang?”
“Sort of.” He pressed a kiss to the inside of her palm, making her shiver. “But it doesn’t matter now. She’s safe. They all are.”
“I’m glad.”
“Me too, but,” his brows drew together, “I’m sorry I missed our first date.”
“You had more important things to attend to,” she reminded him.
His gaze fixed on her. “Other important things. Not more important.”
“Well, I’m free now.” She smiled at him. “Why don’t you give me fifteen minutes and then you can take me to breakfast? There’s an all-night diner on Third Avenue.”
The corner of his mouth quirked up. “I’m still wearing the same clothes from yesterday.”
“Well, you’ll have to hold your head up high when you do the walk of shame past my neighbors.” She winked at him before disappearing into her bedroom.
Chapter Fourteen
Dating Sofia was a lesson in patience.
They’d had two dates now, but he always went home afterwards, alone. He knew he had to take it slow with her, but it was hard when all he wanted to do was to bring her to his bed and fuck her senseless. Every minute he wasn’t with her, all he could think about
