Saving Sophie: Book Seven In The Bodyguards Of L.A. County Series by Cate Beauman Page B
Authors: Cate Beauman
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said again. “I’m clumsy and stupid. This was a stupid mistake.”
Stone stepped closer and she cringed, bracing herself, ready for the slap.
“Hey.” He crouched next to her while she snatched up the shards of glass with trembling fingers.
“I’ll have this cleaned up in just a second,” she said in a rush, trying and failing to keep her breathing steady. “I—I can pay you for any damages.” She hoped. The new floor had to have set him back a few grand.
“Hey.” He grabbed her wrist.
She froze, darting him a glance as he frowned at her.
“Take it easy. You’re going to cut yourself.” He loosened his grip. “Why are you shaking?”
She felt the rush of heat move to her cheeks. “I—I don’t know. I should’ve paid closer attention.” She tried to break free of his hold. “I’ll have this cleaned up in just a minute. I have money in my backpack to pay for the glass and the floor. I don’t know why I’m so foolish.” Her eyes filled.
“It’s just a broken glass.”
“And water. I spilled water all over your pretty floor.”
He shrugged. “That’s what the towel’s for.”
“I might’ve scratched the wood. I’m careless.”
“The cord was in the way, and if one shattered glass scratches my floor I need to do a better job.”
“I’m sorry. I just—”
“Stop saying that. It’s no big deal.”
“I’m sor—” She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She was making a spectacle of herself. She looked at Stone again, measuring his curious eyes. “Let me get you another drink.”
“Or you can go sit back down and finish the doo-dad you were making.”
“But you must be thirsty.”
“If I’m thirsty I’ll get myself a drink. Staying here doesn’t require you to wait on me.”
She nodded. “You’re probably getting hungry. I’ll start the grill for the steaks.”
“Did you hear what I just said?”
She nodded again, but she didn’t know how not to wait on him. She was trying to break bad, unhealthy habits, but it was going to take longer than two months to do so.
“Go make your earrings or bracelet or whatever that thing is and I’ll finish cleaning this up, then I’ll get the grill started and make the steaks.”
“But our agreement—”
“I’ll take care of dinner, Blondie.”
“There’s—there’s asparagus too,” she mumbled.
“Huh?” He moved in closer.
“I said there’s asparagus too. They’ll need to be brushed with olive oil and dashed with kosher salt.”
“Okay.”
She swallowed, sliding several strands of hair behind her ear as she stared at his filthy sleeveless t-shirt instead of meet his gaze again. “Okay.” She walked back to the kitchen on weak legs, taking her seat, breathing deep. Was that what it was like to make a mistake and not have to pay for it? And he was going to cook for her after she broke his dishes and got water all over his new floor? It had been so long since anyone had taken care of her in any way. She’d turned into Mom’s full-time caregiver, then Eric’s maid. Tonight, she was going to try her best to enjoy the idea of Stone helping her, even if it was just a steak and vegetables on the grill.
~~~~
Stone flipped the steaks, satisfied with the hearty sizzle of the t-bones Sophie had picked up at the market. He’d eaten like a king since she walked through his door. When he got home at night, the house smelled good, and there was always some sort of fancy, delicious meal tucked away in a Pyrex dish for him to throw in the microwave and heat up.
Initially he’d been relieved when she said she would stay, then he regretted offering her the room minutes after he proposed the idea, fearing he’d been duped by sad, violet eyes, but that had faded quickly. Now that Sophie was here he didn’t have to worry about washing and ironing his clothes, and the bathroom looked great. She’d added towels, plants, and other little things he never would’ve thought of. And the kitchen for as ugly as
Stone stepped closer and she cringed, bracing herself, ready for the slap.
“Hey.” He crouched next to her while she snatched up the shards of glass with trembling fingers.
“I’ll have this cleaned up in just a second,” she said in a rush, trying and failing to keep her breathing steady. “I—I can pay you for any damages.” She hoped. The new floor had to have set him back a few grand.
“Hey.” He grabbed her wrist.
She froze, darting him a glance as he frowned at her.
“Take it easy. You’re going to cut yourself.” He loosened his grip. “Why are you shaking?”
She felt the rush of heat move to her cheeks. “I—I don’t know. I should’ve paid closer attention.” She tried to break free of his hold. “I’ll have this cleaned up in just a minute. I have money in my backpack to pay for the glass and the floor. I don’t know why I’m so foolish.” Her eyes filled.
“It’s just a broken glass.”
“And water. I spilled water all over your pretty floor.”
He shrugged. “That’s what the towel’s for.”
“I might’ve scratched the wood. I’m careless.”
“The cord was in the way, and if one shattered glass scratches my floor I need to do a better job.”
“I’m sorry. I just—”
“Stop saying that. It’s no big deal.”
“I’m sor—” She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She was making a spectacle of herself. She looked at Stone again, measuring his curious eyes. “Let me get you another drink.”
“Or you can go sit back down and finish the doo-dad you were making.”
“But you must be thirsty.”
“If I’m thirsty I’ll get myself a drink. Staying here doesn’t require you to wait on me.”
She nodded. “You’re probably getting hungry. I’ll start the grill for the steaks.”
“Did you hear what I just said?”
She nodded again, but she didn’t know how not to wait on him. She was trying to break bad, unhealthy habits, but it was going to take longer than two months to do so.
“Go make your earrings or bracelet or whatever that thing is and I’ll finish cleaning this up, then I’ll get the grill started and make the steaks.”
“But our agreement—”
“I’ll take care of dinner, Blondie.”
“There’s—there’s asparagus too,” she mumbled.
“Huh?” He moved in closer.
“I said there’s asparagus too. They’ll need to be brushed with olive oil and dashed with kosher salt.”
“Okay.”
She swallowed, sliding several strands of hair behind her ear as she stared at his filthy sleeveless t-shirt instead of meet his gaze again. “Okay.” She walked back to the kitchen on weak legs, taking her seat, breathing deep. Was that what it was like to make a mistake and not have to pay for it? And he was going to cook for her after she broke his dishes and got water all over his new floor? It had been so long since anyone had taken care of her in any way. She’d turned into Mom’s full-time caregiver, then Eric’s maid. Tonight, she was going to try her best to enjoy the idea of Stone helping her, even if it was just a steak and vegetables on the grill.
~~~~
Stone flipped the steaks, satisfied with the hearty sizzle of the t-bones Sophie had picked up at the market. He’d eaten like a king since she walked through his door. When he got home at night, the house smelled good, and there was always some sort of fancy, delicious meal tucked away in a Pyrex dish for him to throw in the microwave and heat up.
Initially he’d been relieved when she said she would stay, then he regretted offering her the room minutes after he proposed the idea, fearing he’d been duped by sad, violet eyes, but that had faded quickly. Now that Sophie was here he didn’t have to worry about washing and ironing his clothes, and the bathroom looked great. She’d added towels, plants, and other little things he never would’ve thought of. And the kitchen for as ugly as
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