Behind The Proposal novel Chapter 58

"Sophie?"

She turned at the sound of his deep voice. She looked him over, her eyes drinking in every detail of his face. She'd missed him so much - she wanted to throw herself into his arms and beg him to take her back, but she knew it would be a mistake. He'd lied to her. He didn't love her. Swallowing hard, she buried her feelings for him deep down and prepared herself for the coming conversation.

"You came," he murmured, his eyes lighting up as he stared at her.

"I should go," she shook her head.

He took a step closer, putting a hand out to touch her. She stepped backwards. She couldn't let him touch her. It was hard enough to see him, hear his voice and smell his aftershave without wanting more. If he touched her she'd be lost.

"Please stay?" he asked, dropping his hand to his side. She started to shake her head. "Please, Soph? One dance, that's all I'm asking," he pleaded, looking desperate.

One dance. Then she could leave. She could do that. Couldn't she? "One dance," she murmured and strode back into the ballroom, wanting to get it over with as quickly as possible.

Of course it took them three hours to get to that one dance. They ran straight into Tom's parents, and Jeni had taken Sophie's arm and dragged her away to take her around the room, introducing her to as many people as she could - people important to the business, their friends, political types. And she was introduced as Tom's wife to every one of them. Sophie didn't have the heart to tell Jeni to stop.

Sophie had almost wanted Tom to come and rescue her, but then that would mean she'd be alone with her husband. So instead she pasted a smile on her face and let Jeni monopolise her time, which wasn't as bad as she'd expected.

Then dinner was served and Sophie was somehow seated between Tom's sister and his Grandpa. She actually surprised herself by thoroughly enjoying the evening, despite fighting the urge to steal glances across the table at Tom. She'd felt his eyes on her all through the meal, and was actually proud of the fact she'd ignored him as much as she had. She'd had help from his family - they seemed to interrupt every time he started talking to her. It was like they were trying to keep them apart, and Sophie couldn't figure out why.

He brushed his lips on her cheek, grabbed her hand tightly and strode back towards the dance floor with her trailing behind him. Then he pulled her into his arms again and they started to sway gently to the slow ballad the band was playing. She gave in. She closed her eyes and just enjoyed being this close to him one last time. She'd treasure these last moments of being in his arms for the rest of her life, knowing that this was their goodbye.

"Please don't give up on us," he whispered, his cheek brushing against hers and sending tingles through her. "I love you, Soph." Tears threatened, but she swallowed them down. "It took me a while to realise it, to realise that was how I've felt since the moment I met you."

She shook her head, ignoring the tug on her heart. "You only married me to get this hotel, to build it the way you wanted to." She glanced up at him, tears blurring her vision.

"I know it looks that way, but that's not what happened." He shook his head slightly as they continued dancing. "You already know that I'd never planned on getting married. I didn't do love. Not because I didn't believe in it, but because I'd never had time." Blowing out a breath he shook his head again. "No, that's not entirely true," he admitted. "I avoided it. I avoided relationships completely. I'd had a girlfriend many years ago -"