Behind The Proposal novel Chapter 5

"What does that involve?" he asked, trying to get his thoughts away from the deal and back on her. He needed to get to know her better because he was pretty certain his family would love her.

"Nothing as glamorous as living in Hawaii," Sophie dismissed, as if it really did mean nothing.

"Tell me about it, anyway," he insisted as he looked in her eyes, trying to figure her out. Did she really have no idea how fascinating she was?

"You really want to know about my job?" she asked, a frown on her face as she stared at him dumbfounded.

"Yes, I do," he nodded as he raised his glass to his lips, waiting for her to continue.

She blinked a couple of times as if she didn't know what to say next. "I just sit in a lab all day in my safety glasses, lab coat and safety shoes and look at samples and instruments."

"I'm sure there's more to it than that," he encouraged.

"Yes, um..." she paused, taking her lip between her teeth for a moment before continuing. "I'm involved in developing new and better methods to examine and analyse various samples - you don't want to know what -" she shook her head, "and this means that certain illnesses can be diagnosed faster, meaning that patients get the right treatment and get better sooner."

He was utterly captivated as he watched her eyes sparkle with enthusiasm as she spoke in-depth about a topic that was obviously very important to her. He wondered if her eyes would sparkle like that for him in bed. He could tell that she put her whole heart into everything she did. What would it be like to be on the receiving end of that kind of attention?

"Oh," she looked down at her watch, snapping him out of his daydream of having her in his bed. "I really have to go," she said, almost sounding disappointed.

He stood up at the same time as she did and they were close - too close. He could smell the coconut of the hotel's famous shampoo range and feel the heat coming off her body. He wanted to kiss the soft pink lips that were clamped between her teeth. "Can I see you again?" he asked before he could think better of it.

"I'm sure I'll see you around," she shrugged, her blue eyes dancing as she flashed a cheeky smile at him.

"I'll make sure of it," he vowed and brushed his lips on hers lightly, feeling the electricity pulse through him. Heaven help him, he didn't know if he could pull away from her.

He heard someone behind him clear their throat. Reluctantly, he let Sophie go, his breath laboured from the level of control he forced on himself, seeing the same stunned reaction from her.

"I don't know, I..." shaking her head, she picked up her bag before looking up into his eyes. "I really have to collect my daughter. Thanks for the coffee, and lunch." Then she walked out without a backward glance.

He had to see her again. He needed a plan. Because in the space of a couple of hours he'd decided she was the woman who would make his dreams for the future of the company possible. Which meant one thing.

Marriage.

He just had to convince her it was a good idea.

"Eat your toast, please," Sophie commanded for what felt like the hundredth time that morning.

"I can't like toast," Jasmine pouted and pushed the plate away. It was the same argument every morning. I want toast. I can't like toast. I'm hungry. I want toast. At least Sophie wasn't on the usual tight schedule, so she sat back, ordered another coffee and let her daughter eat as slowly as she liked. They could sit here all day - or at least until the iPad battery ran out, and if the three year old could sit still that long.