Behind The Proposal novel Chapter 22

"Mummy, look!" Jasmine's voice drew her attention away from the man holding her.

"What am I supposed to be looking at?" she frowned at him as he put her on her feet.

"Mummy! Come and look!" Jasmine's head popped out from the top of the staircase and looked down at her.

She glanced back at Tom then headed up the stairs. She stopped as soon as she found Jasmine in the spare bedroom - which now had pink everything. Walls, bed, curtains, pillow, including pink toys and pink doll's house. It was fit for a princess and Jasmine was thrilled.

"Mummy, look!" Jasmine exclaimed as she found more toys to be excited by. Tom had absolutely spoiled her.

"Wow," Sophie whispered, totally astounded.

"I think she likes it," Tom chuckled.

She turned to look at him. "I think she's in heaven. Thank you." She reached up and brushed a kiss on his lips.

"It's my pleasure," he murmured, wrapping his arms around her waist. "I just wanted to do something nice for her."

"Daddy, look!" Jasmine grabbed his hand and dragged him into the room.

He felt her tense up, but she didn't move away from him or open her eyes. "Not much to tell," she shrugged. He knew that she didn't like talking about them, but he needed to know more than their names and that they sounded a little harsh on Sophie and Jasmine. He always liked to be prepared. He liked to know what and who he was dealing with and it bothered him that he didn't know more about Sophie's parents.

"So you and your sister are close," he spoke against her ear and she nodded. "What about your parents? Are you close to them?" Hearing her speak to her sister earlier had told him more of their relationship than anything she'd said. He could see now that she was just trying to please them. They really did want to control her and he wondered if it was the same with her sister too.

Sophie opened her eyes and dragged the sheet with her as she got out of bed to stand at the window, staring out at the waves breaking on the beach below. "I see them regularly. They come for lunch on Sundays."

He climbed out of bed and stood behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. He didn't dare look at her because he doubted she'd talk if he did. Instead he watched her reflection in the window as she blankly stared out over the ocean. He didn't miss the pain evident on her face. "Why am I sensing that you aren't as close as you'd like me to believe?"

She raised her hand to dash away a tear. "It's... complicated." She stood still and said nothing for a few minutes. He just wrapped her tightly in his arms, hoping to convey how much he was growing to care about her. He sensed she'd lacked that in her life. Then she turned to face him, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling his lips towards hers. "Anyway, enough about them," she said, clearly trying to distract him and stop him from asking more questions she didn't want to answer.