Daddy's Best Friend

8

CHAPTER 8

Sophia’s POV

Henry ushered me into his house, and I watched closely from where I stood and couldn’t resist but take in the grandeur of the place. He introduced me to Lynda, the woman who was all cozy with him a minute ago, who greeted me with a friendly smile. I managed a polite hello, but I couldn't shake off the unease that settled in my gut as I saw her being so cozy with him. She leaned in to give him a peck on the cheek before leaving, and I clenched my fists to suppress the annoyance that surged within me.

As soon as Lynda was gone, Henry turned his attention back to me. "Why didn't you tell me you were coming today?" he asked, his tone a mixture of surprise and warmth.

I mustered a smile, wanting to keep up the surprise act. "I wanted to surprise you."

He chuckled, and I couldn't help but feel a flutter of relief in my chest. "Well, you definitely succeeded."

I took a step closer to him, trying to ignore the lingering image of Lynda's peck. "Is it because of Lynda that you didn't even give me a welcoming hug?" I didn’t want to start off the day with us arguing.

Henry paused for a moment, his expression softening. He stepped forward and enveloped me in a hug. My heart raced as I nestled my head against his chest, the scent of his cologne enveloping me. I could almost swear that he took in a deep breath, his touch sending shivers down my spine. But just as quickly as he embraced me, he pulled away, his demeanor shifting abruptly.

"We should get you settled in," he said, his tone businesslike. "You must be tired." he sounded so formal towards me and this wasn’t the reception I was hoping for, we had not seen each other in years and when he visited, I purposely avoided him because I was too ashamed to face him after the rejection.

I nodded, unable to shake off the lingering warmth from his hug. He led me to a guest room which I guess would now be my room, he said he had other guest rooms, obviously, this place was enormous, He started explaining that the house had regular housekeepers and cooks to take care of everything. He even mentioned hiring a driver for me, and I couldn't help but protest.

"I can drive myself, you know," I said with a playful grin. In an attempt to lighten the mood.

Henry raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Your father did mention something about your driving adventures. Something about a DUI?" Shit, I forgot my dad tells him everything, there was no secret with them and that was how they operated, on a transperent slate, I sometimes wonder if he ever mention the email to my father, i doubt, my dad would have talked to me about it, and I am not sure he would have been that keen to send me off to here.

I laughed, remembering that wild phase in high school. "Oh, that was just my rebellious phase during my graduation year. I promise, I'm a much safer driver now."

He shook his head, a smile tugging at his lips. "I'm sure you are, but I'd rather not take any chances. I want you to focus on your studies without any distractions." he doesn’t know the only distraction I could possibly have stood 6 ft and 3 inches above me in the form of a hot middled aged man.

I smirked, my tone a tad seductive. "Spoiling me already, Henry?"

He didn't respond to my playful innuendo, his expression shifting back to seriousness. "It's just about ensuring you have a smooth transition. Nothing more."

I bit my lip, realizing I had pushed the boundaries a bit too much. "Of course, I appreciate it." I needed to take things slow and not rush things, a Man Like Henry required patience and I was ready to give all that.

As the conversation hung between us, I had the thoughts rushing through my mind, wondering  how much he was aware of my feelings. Did he sense the undercurrents of attraction that pulsed beneath our words? Or was I just imagining things, reading too much into his actions?

Henry cleared his throat, breaking the silence. "I'll leave you to settle in. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask."

I glanced around the room, thoroughly impressed by how Henry had decorated it to my liking. The aesthetics were just perfect. "Wow, this looks amazing," I exclaimed, unable to hide my admiration.

He grinned, a hint of pride in his eyes. "Actually, Lynda did all the interior decoration." the sound of Lynda name sent an unease feelings to my bone, but I needed to play it smooth in order to know who exactly she was to him.

I raised an eyebrow playfully. "Lynda, YOUR girlfriend?"

Henry's expression shifted, and he quickly shook his head. "No, she's not my girlfriend. Just a friend." I was a bit relief but that could mean anything, these days there were a lot of friends with various benefits, even though I didn’t take henry as one of those men who would indulge in such act.

I smirked, teasingly pushing his buttons. "A friend who kisses you goodbye like that?"

He chuckled, his cheeks slightly flushed. "Lynda and I have a history. She's a friend of my ex-wife. It's not as awkward as you think." now that was worst, I have heard stories of friends being jealous of their friends partners and once given the opportunity, they move in and swipe up the lad.

I arched an eyebrow, feigning innocence. "So, you're telling me you two never crossed any lines?" I know I was crossing the line with my questions but I needed to know.

Henry's gaze locked onto mine, his eyes holding a certain intensity. "I know when to stop, Sophia. I know where to draw the line." that felt like a personal combat to me and not the question I asked, well two can play that game.

I leaned in a bit closer, my tone becoming slightly seductive. "Sometimes, some lines are meant to be crossed."

He stared at me for a moment, a mixture of emotions flickering in his eyes. Then, as if snapping out of a trance, he cleared his throat and took a step back. "Well, speaking of lines, why did you choose UCLA over other great universities?"

Well played Henry, well played.

I smirked, knowing exactly what he was implying. "Got rejected by the Ivy Leagues, if you must know” that was a lie I could live with, I couldn’t tell him, I got into two Ivy league and decided to come here to flirt with him, “And besides, I realized I wanted to major in Creative Writing, and UCLA has a fantastic program."

Henry nodded, his expression softening. "That's still good. Just remember, focus on your studies and avoid any form of distraction." Again with the talk about distraction.

I couldn't help but tease him a bit further. "Yes, sir," I replied with a mock salute, a playful glint in my eyes.

He shook his head, a chuckle escaping his lips. "You're something else, Sophia."

As he turned to leave the room, I couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions swirling within me. Henry's presence was both electrifying and nerve-wracking, and I found myself increasingly drawn to him. It was a dangerous game I was playing, and part of me knew that. But the allure of being near him was too strong to resist.

“I hope your stay here is delightful, I am sure you would love here,”  he mutters.

“You will be here to make me love it, so why not,”

He almost felt like he was going to say something different but he bit his lips and instead gave me an innocent smile

I flopped onto the bed, letting out a sigh. This was going to be a lot more complicated than I had anticipated, he was playing hard to get and I know why but that wouldn’t stop me from trying.  I stared at the ceiling, I couldn't help but replay our conversation in my head. The way he looked at me, the way his voice wavered when he mentioned drawing lines – it was all so intoxicating.

As the door closed behind him, I let out a sigh, my heart pounding in my chest. But as I lay down on the bed, the memory of his hug and the scent of his cologne still lingering, I couldn't help but feel a thrill of excitement. Maybe being in such close proximity to Henry wasn't such a bad thing after all.

‘With time Henry, I promise you, you would be all mine and there would be nothing left to hold us back,’